The Board of Trustees of Memorial Hospital of South Bend has embarked on the largest expansion in the 112-year history of the organization. The surgical suite replacement project is planned to be completed in early 2009 with an increase from 15 to 22 operating rooms, 18 to 27 recovery rooms and 8 to 15 pre-surgery beds.

Construction began late spring of 2006 near the front entrance of the hospital. the new facility will include a new sterile processing center, new main entrance, an energy center and receiving dock covering over 220,000 square feet at a cost of $79.4 million. The expansion will result in up to 45 new clinical jobs and 300 construction-related jobs over three years.

Memorial Hospital administrators developed this project to accommodate yearly increases in surgical cases. Memorial President and CEO Philip Newbold stated, “We are now performing close to 14,000 surgeries a year and we’re outgrowing our existing space which was last renovated in 1980. This extensive project will allow us to accommodate a 53% increase in surgical cases to keep up with the increased demand for specialized care.”

When the center opens, Memorial will operate one of the most technologically advanced surgical centers in the country. The new facility will help attract additional surgeons to the community. Memorial is currently recruiting pediatric surgeons as part of the Children’s Hospital expansion. Memorial Vice President of Nursing Connie McCahill, RN, described the design of this project. “Our medical staff has worked very closely with us to plan a new surgical service that offers great flexibility for each surgeon and the clinical support staff. We are very excited about how soon our patients will benefit from the new capacity this construction will provide.”