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Cover Story
St. Mary's, the hospital with a heart
By Jessica Wallen Special to the Beacon February is widely recognized as the month for love and romance. Did you know it is also American Heart Month? Cardiovascular disease, including stroke and heart attack, are our nation’s number one killer. So, it is comforting to learn that Grand Junction is home to one of the finest cardiac programs in the nation. In the heart of Western Colorado, midway between Denver and Salt Lake City, our own little town, is home to a nationally recognized heart program. Since 1988 the very competent and talented physicians and staff of St. Mary’s cardiac and vascular services program have been performing open-heart surgery, right here in Grand Junction. And, with the completion of the newest construction phase of the Century Project, the very large building visible from almost anywhere in town, St. Mary’s, will be able to continue this long standing tradition of providing unparalleled service with the latest in cutting edge technology. The Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth founded St. Mary’s Hospital, a not-for-profit organization, in 1896; the original wood-framed building had only 10 beds. Today, St. Mary’s has 350 beds and is the largest medical center in our region. With the Century Project, the 434,000 square foot, 12-story tower, complete with rooftop helicopter facility, and an education and conference center, the hospital is now better equipped than ever to provide their patients with the best care possible. Everything that has gone into the new building was carefully chosen. From the plumbing to the electrical, even the artwork in the new building was picked not only for its visual appeal, but also its ability to contribute to patient health. The over four hundred pieces of original art have been created, almost entirely, by local artists. Works were selected based on their healing qualities and their ability to provide a positive distraction. Large floral art greets visitors at the public elevators and multi-media pieces hang in all patient rooms and waiting areas. On the main floor of the new building, in the “Valley Zone” on the northwest side, a visitor will find a hot meal at the Columbine Café. Open 6:30 a.m. to midnight, a patron may dine in, on the patio, or get meals to-go. The Java City Coffee Shop serves pastries, hot and cold beverages, Monday thru Friday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Columbine Café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and although late-night supper ends at midnight, the seating area is open 24 hours per day and 7 days a week. The southwest side of the building has been named the “Monument Zone”. This side of the building contains the A.J. Bertrand Reflection Room. This is a peaceful place for guests to reflect, pray or just sit quietly and appreciate the Healing Waters, an impressive stained glass window created by Brenda Belfield. This space can also be used for communal gatherings or remembrances. Also located in the Monument Zone, is the new Emergency Department. The parking for the new Emergency Room is designed for easier access with covered parking for inclement weather. The triage and check-in center has been designed for privacy, and the thirty-three new private treatment rooms are equipped and stocked for trauma care. The Emergency Department also has direct access to surgery and intensive care units, via a dedicated high-speed elevator. Heading to the first floor of the Monument Zone, you’ll find twelve large surgical suites with dedicated trauma, cardiac, orthopedic and neurosurgery rooms. A high-speed elevator also has direct access to these surgical suites from the helipad. There are also robotic surgical suites, as well as, computer and video hook-ups for communication during procedures. If one should make their way to the third floor of the Monument Zone they will find 32 private, critical-care rooms that make up the hospital’s new Intensive Care Unit. This floor features decentralized workstations that allow nurses to keep very close to their patients. There are eight rooms equipped with patient lift systems, designed to safely move patients that may require it. These rooms are also designed to accommodate visitors and overnight guests. The lighting design for this new ICU was also created to provide a more peaceful, healing environment. The fifth floor of the Valley Zone is the Saccomanno Education Center, the hospital’s new staff and physician education facility. The education center boasts a 20-station computer lab, large projection screens, Blu-ray disc players, and a conference room that can be divided into three separate classrooms. There is also a lobby area that can accommodate events and gatherings. Back in the Monument Zone, on the sixth floor, Women’s Health and Childbirth Services has a new home. Labor and Delivery has 12 large, labor rooms with jetted tubs, two triage facilities and a family waiting and lounge area. New little lives will start out in style in this expansive and state-of-the-art facility. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is also located on the sixth floor of the Monument Zone and its 24 rooms are all totally family focused. They feature privacy to promote bonding, cutting edge monitoring equipment and two-mother and baby “room-in” suites. Women’s Health and Childbirth Services continues up on the seventh floor with 32 more private suites, as well as support services for new moms. The eighth floor of the Monument Zone holds Orthopedics and Spine services. On this floor, a visitor will find 30 private rooms equipped with recliner-sleepers for guests, a complete therapy gym, and a home like setting to mimic routine activities to aid the patient in their recovery. The fourteenth floor is the helipad area with hangar, fueling station and quarters for the crew. St. Mary’s previous helipad was located across the street from the hospital, making it necessary for the patient to be transported by ambulance to the appropriate area, after being flown in. In the new building, the patient is flown to the top of the hospital and transported, in a matter of minutes, to the appropriate location. This time saved can be crucial for a patient in a life-flight critical care situation. Bob Ladenburger, St. Mary’s most recent President and CEO, made an announcement to the press stating, “For 113 years, St. Mary’s mission to care for all people of our community has guided our daily actions and our long-term decisions. We designed and built the Century Project with several goals firmly in mind – to provide patients with a pleasant, healing environment and to continue to bring the best quality medical talent and technology to our growing region.” So next time you are passing by the mammoth structure, or see CareFlight on the horizon, you can have peace-of-mind in the knowledge that the staff of St. Mary’s is, and always has been, dedicated to providing top-notch health care to you and your loved ones. |
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