Sheffield, Ala. – Helen Keller Hospital is announcing the implementation of an $18 million expansion plan designed to upgrade its campus to serve the Shoals community long into the future. Since affiliating in 2015 with the Huntsville Hospital Health System, Keller has invested $20 million into equipment and facility upgrades. At the outset of the affiliation, HHSYS assumed $40 million in debt from Keller. Collectively, these investments represent a $78 million dollar commitment to locally-owned, not-for-profit healthcare in the Shoals community since January 2015.
Phase I - The first phase of the planned improvement will be a complete emergency room renovation, expanding current capacity from 17 treatment rooms to 22, improving patient reception and triage flow, and integrating lobby space into a combined ER/second hospital entrance. In 2017 the emergency room had 42,731 visits. Upon completion, the emergency room will have capacity to see more than 50,000 per year.
Specialized Wound Care is the next point of focus. A planned joint venture with Healogics will open a new comprehensive wound care center with two hyperbaric oxygen chambers. It will be located in a free-standing building on the Keller campus. The emergency room and wound care projects are expected to be completed in 2018.
Phase II – While Phase I is being completed, the design and planning work for Phase II will occur. This includes plans for a hospital entrance and first floor renovation — this would include not only the entrance, but admitting, registration, the cafeteria, kitchen, doctor’s dining, and provide for additional retail space.
Keller desires to provide a 21st century experience for patients, visitors, physicians, and staff as they enter and interact with the campus. This will include:
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A more user-friendly registration/entry experience for patients
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Provide expanded retail services (convenience store, gift shop, remodeled cafeteria, pharmacy)
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Enhanced resource/work and dining room for Keller’s medical staff
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Kitchen updates include equipment, work flow, and add the capacity to expand providing room-service style dining to all inpatients
Design work at the same time will occur for a major surgical services expansion. Currently in development is a plan to connect the main hospital with the outpatient surgery pavilion on the south side of the campus.
Finally, a Muscle Shoals facility is planned to provide Imaging & Outpatient Services, upon completion of a new medical office building on Avalon Road.
“We are nearing 100 years of service to the Shoals community,” said Paul Storey, Helen Keller Hospital President. “These projects set us up to serve the Shoals very well for the beginning of the next 100.”
