Honesdale, PA -
A massive hospital expansion is officially underway in Wayne County.
Wayne Memorial Hospital has been planning its biggest expansion project in its history and they are now turning those plans into a reality.
In about a year and a half, the hospital will have a much different work. A bug chunk of the current building will have been renovated, but the biggest change will be the new three story building that will be built right next to the current facility.
Administrators posed for pictures with shovels in hand. Wayne Memorial Hospital broke ground on a $40 million expansion project at its facility in Honesdale.
The highlight will be the creation of a new 85,000 square foot patient tower with 50 new private rooms.
"This is just another step of becoming a more comprehensive medical facility and offering not only a higher level of care, but more comfort to our patients and they deserve that," says David Hoff, the hospital's CEO.
The hospital also plans to renovate part of its current building, upgrading its chemotherapy and wound care units.
"We have a lot of people, an influx of people, seasonal people, and various things do happen and to be able to have a facility that can probably treat a broader spectrum of individual healthcare issues," says Paul McKierman of Hawley. "I'm sure it's a positive thing for Wayne County."
This project has been in the works for more than four years. Many of the ideas came from patient satisfaction surveys.
"We have unfortunately seen in neighboring communities, facilities like this close, and it's been really difficult for those communities to bounce back," says Commissioner Wendell Kay.
Because of the construction, patients and visitors will see parking changes. Everyone will now be asked to park across the street and there will be an additional security guard to keep people safe.
Hospital officials expect the expansion project to take about 18 to 20 months.
