Maple Grove Hospital opened on schedule

Officials at Maple Grove Hospital are pleased to announce that doctors, nurses and staff began seeing patients on Dec. 30, marking the opening of the first new hospital in the Twin Cities in a decade. After more than five years of planning and preparation, Maple Grove Hospital opened on schedule with an impressive number of surgeries and baby deliveries on the very first day.

“It’s rewarding seeing the hard work of so many people finally come to fruition”

“It’s rewarding seeing the hard work of so many people finally come to fruition,” explained Andy Cochrane, Maple Grove Hospital CEO. “And most importantly, the community is finally able to access health care close to home.”

The new 225,000 square-foot hospital, located just east of I-94 at Maple Grove Parkway, was designed with a patient-focused approach, making sure every experience the patient has is what he or she thinks it ought to be. “That experience may differ from patient to patient,” said Cochrane. “Our physicians, nurses and staff have adopted a philosophy of care that ensures our patients are treated as individuals who deserve exceptional care that is tailored to their needs.”

Design elements also include creating a healthy and sustainable hospital, utilizing natural, regionally-sourced materials as well as recycled products. Abundant, natural light was incorporated into the design process along with lighting systems that reduce energy use through mechanisms like night set-back controls, occupancy sensors and low-mercury content lamps. High-efficiency mechanical and electrical systems were selected to reduce energy consumption and interior design elements included those with fewer VOCs and plasticizers for a healthier environment for staff and patients.

The hospital opened 30 patient rooms – all private – each equipped with high-tech devices including a communication system that allows the patient to talk instantly with their nurse even when he or she isn’t in the room. The rooms also have a touch screen panel that allows nurses to make multiple requests like room cleaning or supply ordering at the touch of a button.

One of the hospital’s most anticipated services is the Family Birth Center, which features six labor and delivery suites and 18 post-partum rooms. The first c-section performed at the hospital was scheduled months before the facility even opened. By the end of 2010, officials at the Family Birth Center expect to deliver approximately 1,200 babies.

The Emergency Care Center is equipped with 14 private rooms, two stabilization rooms and is staffed by emergency physicians who rotate between North Memorial Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center located in Robbinsdale, Minn., and Maple Grove Hospital. An ambulance base is located at the hospital as well as an air ambulance landing pad. Officials anticipate 11,000 people will visit the Emergency Care Center during the first year.

The hospital also has five fully equipped operating rooms, with a sixth operating room ready to be equipped when demand increases. Maple Grove Hospital has an open medical staff, which means any physician can request to practice at the facility, regardless of their hospital affiliation. So far, more than 600 physicians have gone or are going through the credentialing process which is required in order to admit patients.

Maple Grove Hospital is currently operating with a staff of 200, but expects that number to double by the end of 2010. While the facility opened with 30 patient rooms, that number can quickly ramp up to 90 rooms when patient volumes increase. The hospital is designed to accommodate 300 patient rooms in the future with additional construction.

“This hospital was created to meet the health care needs of those in the fast-growing area of the northwest Twin Cities and today we’re open and ready to provide care to this community and will continue to grow with them,” stated Cochrane.