Methodist Women's Hospital unveiled its nearly $20 million expansion of the neonatal unit on Tuesday afternoon.
The project is helping the hospital nearly double the beds available for patients, upping the count from 28 to 51. The hospital, which has delivered the most triplets in the region in recent years, is also adding more rooms for multiples.
Porject managers say the construction was unlike others done before. John Sibley of Kiewit Construction Group says operating rooms were below the construction zone, while the NICU was across the hall.
"The irony of what this project did was almost everything we do in construction generates noise, generates vibration, generates dust, all of those things can be life or death scenarios to the patients we are right next to," Sibley said.
Families might find the space more relaxing than before. Sue Korth, the vice president and COO of Methodist Women's Hospital, says while the baby is the patient, the hospital really takes care of the whole family.
Overcrowding had made that difficult for some in the past.
"Over the past probably two years, there have been multiple times when we've had to transfer babies out because we didn't have room for them," Korth said. "And we hope that in the future we won't have to do that anymore. I get a little emotional about that."
The expansion is set to open on Sept. 18.
