News Release

RIBBON-CUTTING UNVEILS NEW UPMC NORTHWEST HOSPITAL

Sept. 24, 2004 — UPMC Northwest cut the ribbon on Friday for its new $70 million hospital, dedicating the facility that marks “a new beginning for health care in Venango County and surrounding communities,” according to UPMC Northwest president Neil Todhunter.

The 30-minute dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new hospital’s main entrance also included comments from University of Pittsburgh Medical Center president Jeffrey Romoff and several others, along with guided tours of the new hospital and adjoining behavioral health building.

The new hospital in Cranberry Township, about seven miles from both Oil City and Franklin, is the centerpiece of the Northwest Medical Center-UPMC merger agreement that brought UPMC Northwest into existence in November 2001.

UPMC Northwest broke ground for the four-story facility in March 2002 and it is celebrating completion of the 30-month project with a series of grand opening festivities including Friday’s dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The celebration will conclude with a public open house from 10 am to 9 pm Sunday at the new hospital site off Route 257 in Seneca.

Many UPMC Northwest departments will move in starting the week of September 27, and the hospital will begin admitting inpatients in early October.

“It has been several years since a new hospital first was envisioned for our area, and this vision now is a reality with the opening of the new UPMC Northwest,”

Mr. Todhunter told more than 300 guests who attended Friday’s ceremony. “This week’s grand opening festivities and our first admissions in early October mark a new beginning for health care in Venango County and surrounding communities.”

Ensuring the satisfaction of UPMC Northwest patients is one of the hospital’s foremost objectives, “and the new buildings’ superb facilities equip us well to achieve this goal. Our caregivers look forward to receiving patients at Pennsylvania’s newest hospital, right here in our community,” Mr. Todhunter said.

"I am pleased to be a part of this important milestone in the rich history of UPMC Northwest and its contribution to the fabric and foundation of this region," stated Mr. Romoff. "This new hospital is more than bricks and mortar – it is a promise of a bright future and a testament to UPMC's commitment to provide the best in health care to your family and friends in Venango County."

Also offering remarks were UPMC Northwest board president Ned Cowart; UPMC Northwest medical staff president William McGrail, MD; George Huber, UPMC’s senior vice president of corporate relations and regional programming; and Venango County Senior Judge H. William White.

Joining the speakers to cut the ribbon was hospital staff member Jayma Montgomery, who was chosen in a drawing to represent UPMC Northwest employees.

The new hospital has 96 private rooms including 30 that can be converted for semi-private occupancy, thus yielding as many as 126 beds. The one-story, 28-bed behavioral health building adjoins the new hospital via an enclosed walkway.

The hospital’s focus on efficiency, quality and patient-friendliness is evident throughout the facility. Visually pleasing buildings and grounds, plentiful free parking, a convenient outpatient diagnostic center, “fast track” emergency care, private rooms and state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment technology all are intended to ensure patients’ satisfaction.

The new UPMC Northwest “is an excellent place for our staff to provide care, but even more importantly, it’s a great place to receive care,” Mr. Todhunter said.

Here are the primary facilities and services that are housed on each floor:

Ground floor – The Cancer Center (which will open later this fall) features a Siemens ONCOR Linear Accelerator that uses the most advanced radiation treatment technology. The Laboratory includes a new blood chemistry analyzer that completes blood tests faster than ever, and the Pharmacy’s AcuDose medication management system makes acquiring and dispensing drugs safer and faster. A landscaped outdoor courtyard was built by GroWay and donated by GroWay owners Dick and Tish Way in honor of UPMC Northwest staff members and patients. There’s also a spacious Cafeteria and Learning/Resource Center for patient and staff education.

First floor – The expansive first floor offers mostly outpatient services that are designed to ensure a convenient, satisfying experience for patients. The Routine Diagnostic Center is for the many patients who need outpatient testing including blood tests, EKGs, chest x-rays and mammograms. The Emergency Department features an expanded staff and 24 treatment stations for specific types of care including “fast track” care for minor emergencies. The Major Diagnostic Center is for more complex imaging procedures including CT and MRI exams and cardiac catheterizations (which UPMC Northwest will begin performing when it recruits an interventional cardiologist). The Surgery/Procedures Center has nine operating/procedure rooms and a 12-bed extended recovery center where patients can stay for up to 23 hours instead of going to an inpatient unit. The Family Birthing Center – the only inpatient unit on the first floor – features a Level 2 nursery for high-risk infants and the HALO Infant Protection System that uses electronic ID/security technology to ensure the safety of newborns.

Second floor – Inpatient care is the primary focus on the second floor, where the Intermediate unit features expanded telemetry capabilities and a stroke service where brain attack (stroke) patients receive specialized assessment and care. The Intensive Care Unit has leading edge monitoring and other capabilities to meet the needs of up to eight critical care patients.

Third floor – The third floor also houses inpatient facilities including UPMC Northwest’s nine-bed Oncology unit that maintains the hospital’s tradition of excellence in cancer care. The Medical unit has 32 private rooms and can accommodate as many as 45 patients when the census is high. Also on this floor are a 16-bed Surgical/Pediatrics unit and the hospital’s Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy department.

Behavioral Health building – Expanded facilities, additional staffing, and separate units for adolescent and adult patients characterize this facility. The unit provides specialized therapeutic programs for teenage, adult and geriatric patients, and has an outdoor recreation area.

Innovation is evident throughout the new UPMC Northwest. The Stentor iSite digital imaging system (produces electronic images instead of x-ray films), Responder Nurse Call System (uses pocket pagers and wireless phones instead of intercoms and overhead paging) and TransLogic Pneumatic Tube System (provides high-speed delivery of medications and lab specimens throughout the facility) all help advance everyday patient care functions.

Safety also is a key component of the new hospital, including heated walkways that will keep the hospital’s public entrances free of snow and ice during winter.