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Upstate Community Hospital to gradually open new patient unit

Staff and administrators from Upstate Community Hospital formally open the newly renovated west wing of the hospital’s fourth floor. Cutting the ribbon on Jan. 3 are (from left to right) Ken Redmore, associate administrator for facilities and support services; Dr. Matthew Glidden, associate chief medical officer; Nancy Page, chief nursing officer; Brandy Joyce, registered nurse (RN); Jennifer McCullough, RN; Robert Corona, CEO of Upstate University Hospital; JoAnn Featherstone, associate director of nursing for Upstate Community Hospital; Scott Jessie, executive director of nursing at Upstate; and Erin Campolo, RN. (PHOTO CREDIT: UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY WEBSITE)

ONONDAGA — Upstate Community Hospital has started using a portion of a 24-bed unit following a $2.8 million renovation project. The hospital announced plans to hire an additional 60 people to staff the unit when it’s fully operational later this year. The hospital is recruiting, hiring, and training staff for the new unit. “The process […]

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ONONDAGA — Upstate Community Hospital has started using a portion of a 24-bed unit following a $2.8 million renovation project.

The hospital announced plans to hire an additional 60 people to staff the unit when it’s fully operational later this year. The hospital is recruiting, hiring, and training staff for the new unit.

“The process is ongoing … We still have about 40 more people to hire [as of Jan. 13],” says JoAnn Featherstone, associate director of nursing at Upstate Community Hospital.

Gradual opening

The new space opened with a few beds made available on Jan. 9.

“Given the community need for inpatient beds to support our area, there’s an ongoing increase in patients that are being admitted. This addition of beds is to support that community need,” says Featherstone, who spoke with CNYBJ on Jan. 13.

The 24 new beds are for patients who have had surgery at Upstate or need to be admitted to the hospital. As more staff come on board, additional beds will be opened. Six beds will open in the first stage.

“It’s going to be a rolling open. As our staffing increases, our bed capacity will increase,” says Featherstone.

The unit should be fully operational later in the year, she notes.

Renovations to the western wing of the fourth floor (4 West) of Upstate Community Hospital started last summer. The project cost totaled $2.8 million, which included $200,000 for design, $1.6 million for construction, and $1 million for new equipment.

Upstate’s in-house construction team handled the work.

The renovation of 4 West included all new paint, lighting, cabinetry, beds and furnishings. Patient bathrooms were renovated and spaces for staff were freshened. Upstate Community Hospital began planning the project in August 2017.

“It was more of a makeover,” Featherstone says.

That section of the fourth floor was originally designed for patient rooms but had been converted into office space when it was still operating as Community General Hospital. The rooms remained offices after SUNY Upstate Medical University acquired Community General in 2011. About 45 Upstate staff working in those spaces were moved to other locations throughout the building to accommodate the renovations.

Eric Reinhardt