Conway hospital plans $25 million expansion
Posted on Sunday, March 2, 2008
CONWAY — Like the rest of Conway, the local hospital is growing, and on Friday it announced a $ 25 million expansion project.
Plans for Conway Regional Medical Center include expansion of the Women’s Center and construction of a new surgery department, with completion expected in December 2009.
With Conway’s population zooming from 26, 841 in 1990 to an estimated 55, 334 now, the hospital plans to add, among other things, eight new obstetrics rooms to accommodate the growing number of babies born there. In 2007, Conway Regional helped deliver 1, 759 infants, compared with 1, 387 in 2001. The hospital now has 16 obstetrics rooms.
“Based on the number of deliveries in January and February of this year, there could be as many as 2, 000 babies born at Conway Regional in 2008,” the hospital said in a statement.
Plans also call for enlarging the medical center’s power plant to provide additional energy for the 58, 000-square-foot expansion.
“This project will address two areas of great importance to our community and our physicians — additional space for obstetrics and expanded surgical suites,” Jim Lambert, the medical center’s interim president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
Initial plans call for a twostory addition with the capacity to expand to six stories if needed. The second floor would include nine operating rooms, two of which would be unfinished for future growth, and the eight new obstetrics rooms.
A same-day surgery area and covered parking will be on the first floor.
Conway Regional spokesman Lori Ross said details of the financing have not been finalized but said, “The bulk of it will likely be the issuing of tax-exempt bonds.” She said the hospital also hopes to get some private donations and some money from cash reserves could be used.
“As a community-based, notfor-profit health system, it is our mission and responsibility to reinvest in health-care services that benefit the community,” said Lambert, who also is chief operating officer. “The rapid growth of Conway and the surrounding areas demands this type of expansion to accommodate the health care needs of those we serve.”
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