Cardio surgery center heart of hospital expansion

When the new Carson-Tahoe Regional Medical Center opens in December, 200 employees will join the staff of the Carson- Tahoe Regional Medical Center Campus.

Nurses, imaging technologists, as well as housekeeping and maintenance workers will work the 75-acre complex.

To get a jump on the nationwide nursing shortage, the Carson hospital just produced a recruiting video to send as direct mail to targeted segments of nurses, said Cheri Glockner of marketing.Hospital executives have also been working closely with the Western Nevada Community College nursing program to retain those graduates.And, they keep lists of nurses who express an interest in relocating to the Carson Valley for its quality of life.

The new medical campus will open in stages over two years.

The Sierra Surgery and Imaging facility opens in mid-March, the Regional Medical Center in December, the cancer center and the Merriner Cottages for surgery patients in March 2006.

Ed Epperson, CEO, announced the expansion plans Wednesday.

The existing Carson Tahoe hospital building will become a long-term acute care hospital in June 2006, where stays of over three weeks will be the norm, compared to the average of over three days at a hospital.

A state-of-the-art cardiac care center is the centerpiece of the medical campus.

The "universal bed concept" is the heart of the program and this is the only hospital in northern Nevada to have it, said Annette Patellos, Director of Cardiology Services.

Rather than being moved through a series of different rooms,with a series of different nurses, patients will move into one of eight private rooms with amenities to mimic a hotel suite.All medical equipment is hidden in cabinets.

The benefits? Patients check out a day earlier.Nurse retention is higher, said Patellos.

The Merriner Cottages, 15 apartments for pre- and post-surgery patients,with cost based on ability to pay, are funded from a grant of $1 million from Ruth Merriner.

It will pay for the fist seven units.

The Merriner family has challenged the business community to match this donation to complete the project.

Architect George Szabo is the project planner.