Chicago Construction News staff writer
CGH Medical Center has begun construction on a two-storey addition that will replace its Sterile Processing Department and expand capacity for surgical services at the hospital in Sterling, Ill.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Oct. 21 for the project, which will be built on the west side of the facility, between the hospital and Main Clinic.
The expansion is intended to accommodate the growth of surgical services, including the use of increasingly sophisticated surgical technologies, and help the hospital meet the health-care needs of the Sauk Valley region.
“We are caring for more patients throughout the region, and it’s growth that we are proud of,” said Dr. Paul Steinke, CGH president and CEO. “But we have to continue to invest in our facilities, and that’s what we are doing here today.”
The existing Sterile Processing Department was built about 20 years ago and no longer meets the needs of the hospital’s surgical services.
Sterile processing is responsible for cleaning, preparing and sterilizing surgical instruments and equipment before they are used in patient care. The new department will be designed to improve workflow and efficiency while providing surgical teams with the resources needed to support operations.
“This has been a long time coming. We are at a point where we really need this expansion, and we are looking forward to bringing that forward for our surgical team,” said Cindy Zander, CGH vice-president of support services.
“It’s very exciting to see this project moving forward and to know it will make the department more efficient with cutting-edge technology behind the scenes.”
Zander led the project’s planning and development, working with CGH’s internal project team, including Facilities Director Bob Lehman and Facilities Supervisor Tim Schumaker.
The team also collaborated with the design team, sterile processing technicians, surgical staff and support teams to ensure the plans address the department’s operational requirements.
The project follows the addition of physicians and surgeons, expanded services and the introduction of new surgical technologies at CGH.
