Where We’ve Been, Where We’re Going

Over its 128 plus years of history, St. Helena Hospital has had several incarnations. First as a rural health retreat then as a Victorian sanitarium and now in its present form as an acute care regional hospital. In June, the hospital started to change once again when construction began on the most ambitious modernization in the hospital’s history. St. Helena will continue its tradition of moving into the future with the development of the Cancer and Outpatient Surgery Pavilion, the relocation and expansion of the Family Birth Center, a new cardiovascular/peripheral vascular lab, the addition of new diagnostic technologies and installation of an electronic medical records system.

Martin O’Neil Cancer Center

St. Helena Hospital’s new, 12,500-square-foot cancer center is named for two generous local philanthropists, Stephen Martin and Dennis O’Neil. The center will enable the hospital to offer the full spectrum of cancer treatment services, including radiation oncology with a state-of-the-art linear accelerator; a nine-station chemotherapy suite; a patient restoration and therapy spa incorporating massage, yoga and other therapies; and a patient resource library.

Outpatient Surgery Pavilion

A new, 11,000-square-foot outpatient surgery center will occupy the lower floor of the new Cancer and Outpatient Surgery Pavilion, and will provide a patient-focused approach to ambulatory surgery, endoscopy and medical imaging. Patients and their families will find a convenient, one-stop facility where their diagnostic and treatment needs are met in a pleasant, non-stressful environment. Some of the highlights of the new center will include:

• Two state-of-the-art operating rooms;
• An MRI suite;
• Comfortable pre-operative and post-operative recovery rooms that will allow family members to be with the patient; and
• A separate recovery space for patients with special needs.

New Family Birth Center

The new Family Birth Center will be located on the third floor of the Ancillary Building in space currently occupied by outpatient surgery. It will be twice the size of the existing Family Birth Center, and will offer mothers and their babies state-of-the-art obstetric services combined with the comforts of home. Some of the features of the new center include:

• Five large suites that will allow mother, baby and family members to remain together in one room during their hospital stay;
• Two additional labor room beds;
• A surgical suite and delivery room;
• A larger nursery for infants who may need extra attention and ongoing care during their stay;
• A dedicated lounge for nurses and a sleep room for physicians.

New Cardiovascular Laboratory

A new cardiovascular/peripheral vascular laboratory will allow St. Helena Hospital cardiologists and cardiac surgeons to perform the latest diagnostic and interventional procedures. The new lab will include both cardiac catheterization and peripheral vascular capabilities. It will occupy more than 650 square feet in the hospital, and it is anticipated that the lab will serve at least 2,200 patients during its first year of service.

Project IntelliCare

A departure from the traditional, error-prone “paper” patient chart, Project IntelliCare is a “paperless” system that allows patient medical data to be recorded and viewed privately and securely via computers. Patients’ health records, lab and imaging results, medications, vital signs and other medical data will be kept up-to-date electronically, enhancing both the quality of patient care and patient satisfaction. Having up-to-the-minute information allows physicians and healthcare professionals to make better clinical decisions based on the latest patient information. It is estimated that 100,000 people in the United States die every year because of preventable medical errors that electronic medical record systems like Project IntelliCare help eliminate.