(Hyannis, Aug. 16, 2019) Cape Cod Healthcare (CCHC) today announced a major investment in the future of healthcare on Cape Cod, ensuring that the Cape Cod community, for generations to come, will have local access to comprehensive medical and health services and modern infrastructure and technology.
On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Cape Cod Hospital, CCHC this year will break ground on a new $180 million 6-story patient care tower at the Hyannis hospital. CCHC has also launched the development of a fully integrated single electronic medical records system. These investments reflect CCHC’s focus on meeting the 21st Century needs of the community, and ensure that residents and visitors of our region will continue to have high-quality healthcare services without having to leave the Cape.
“The quality of the clinical and support staff at Cape Cod Healthcare is second to none, but as technology advances and inpatient needs grow more intense, it is critical that we update our facilities and our ability to communicate with primary care and specialty care physicians in the community,” said Michael Lauf, president and CEO of CCHC. “With these investments, we are not only updating to meet the best practices of today, we are creating capacity for the future.”
The Cape Cod Hospital (CCH) patient care tower, which will be located on the southwest end of the hospital and will become the new main entrance area to the hospital, will advance the organization’s ability to provide locally accessible and high-quality care by enhancing key service areas, like cardiac, cancer, intensive care, women’s health and medical surgery.
The new patient care tower will:
- Add 40 new cardiac and medical beds
- Offer new cancer care facilities
- Expand intensive care space by 20 percent
- Add new patient welcoming and patient registration area
- Include educational space
- Allow for future growth, with the 5th floor finished at a later date.
The new Cape Cod Cancer Center will be located on levels one and two, offering a full continuum of care for Cape Cod residents and assuring that key services are offered in a community setting. With 36 chemotherapy treatments bays – an increase of its current capacity of 19 — and space for continued growth, the Cancer Center will include dedicated registration and waiting areas, improved patient screening areas, a rooftop garden, and clinical staff education spaces designed to enhance the patient, family and staff experience. The project also creates the opportunity to provide cancer patients new clinical trials as part of Cape Cod Healthcare’s partnership with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
“As we enter our centennial anniversary year, this transformative project is as important to the health of Cape Cod as the founding of the original hospital,” said Lauf. “We are committed to this community – the owners of Cape Cod Healthcare – and are very intentional and strategic about how we invest our resources to support local healthcare needs.”
The new patient care tower is expected to create 80 new jobs at CCH, 250-300 construction jobs over the course of the three-year project, and multiples of support jobs in the community.
Though less physically obvious to patients, Epic will have an equally important impact on patient care quality. This single, integrated electronic medical record system will better support clinicians in coordinating care across multiple settings — from the primary care or specialist exam room to the outpatient clinic or hospital bedside. The system will also allow patients to have seamless care, both in and out of the healthcare system, allowing patients access to their medical records both from home and on mobile devices. The project is expected to launch in late fall 2020.
“Pairing this type of capital investment with our existing investment in clinical and support staff allows Cape Cod Healthcare to make our community stronger, while maintaining our independence and focus on providing care in the local setting,” said Lauf.
Infrastructure support work will begin on the new patient care tower in early September. After all local and state approvals are obtained, building on the new tower will begin, with an anticipated completion date of spring 2022.
Cape Cod Healthcare is the leading provider of healthcare services for residents and visitors of Cape Cod. With more than 450 physicians, 5,500 employees and 790 volunteers, Cape Cod Healthcare has two acute care hospitals, the Cape’s leading provider of homecare and hospice services (VNA), a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, an assisted living facility, and numerous health programs. For more information, visit Cape Cod Healthcare’s web site at www.capecodhealth.org. Visit our health news site www.capecodhealthnews.com for the latest in relevant and credible healthcare news.
