Lake Hospital System breaks ground for $150 million state-of-the-art health care facility

Lake Hospital System has broken ground on a new digital hospital that will be built in Concord Township.

The $150 million state-of-the-art health care facility, named TriPoint Medical Center, is scheduled to open in the fall of 2009 and will introduce a new approach to community health care that revolves entirely around the patient.

"This project is much less about bricks and mortar and much more about a change in philosophy of how we care for our patients and their families," said John Platz, chairman of the Lake Hospital System Board of Trustees. "It's about delivering community health care in a way that emphasizes patient safety, focuses on patient and family comfort, and creates a healing environment."

Construction preparation will begin in the coming weeks on the three- story, 300,000-square-foot facility that will feature the latest medical technology and private patient rooms overlooking a natural setting, all designed to help heal lives faster. TriPoint Medical Center will be equipped with computerized systems to speed the flow of decision-making information to medical professionals and improve the quality of care. Electronic medical records and filmless, computerized radiology systems will provide up-to-the- minute information and fully integrate with electronic information at other Lake Hospital System facilities.

"Having immediate access to a patient's complete health records, including lists of a patient's prescriptions and allergies, can help prevent medical errors, improve patient safety, and avoid duplicate tests and other procedures," said John Ferron, MD, president of the Lake Hospital System Medical Staff and a general surgeon. "It's all about delivering the highest quality care to our patients."

The new hospital will also include expanded operating rooms; a large emergency department; inpatient and outpatient diagnostic imaging services; a health resource library; and dedicated family spaces that will allow for enhanced family comfort and around-the-clock visitation.

"This is an exciting time for our community. TriPoint Medical Center will be a vital asset to not only Concord Township, but to all of Northeast Ohio," said Connie Luhta, Concord Township trustee.

With a unique design that blends seamlessly with its natural surroundings, the new hospital was recently named a partner in the Pebble Project, a joint research effort between The Center for Health Design and various health care organizations committed to improving the patient care environment. One of only 35 projects nationwide to earn this distinction, TriPoint Medical Center exemplifies the correlation between facility design and improved quality of care. For Pebble Project partners, this has translated to increased patient satisfaction, fewer infections, decreased patient transfers and reduced staff turnover.

"Being involved in the Pebble Project shows a commitment to providing higher quality care for patients and a commitment to providing an optimal workplace for staff," said Cynthia Moore-Hardy, president and CEO of Lake Hospital System. "From the moment we announced plans to build a new hospital, we have said that it will incorporate a healing environment. And being part of the Pebble Project will help us fulfill this vision."