Atlanta, GA,
16
April
2014
|
13:36 PM
America/New_York

Shepherd Center Plans $12.8 Million Expansion for Lab, Pharmacy and MRI Departments

Soon the “Pardon our Dust” signs may be back up at Shepherd Center as the hospital embarks on a $12.8 million project that will add 13,000 square feet for an expanded and updated lab, pharmacy and MRI suite.

“We’ve increased the size of the hospital over the years, but we’ve never had the space to expand the lab and the pharmacy – despite the fact we’ve grown from 100 to 152 beds since 2007,” said Gary Ulicny, Ph.D., Shepherd Center’s president and CEO.

Shepherd Center filed a Certificate of Need (CON) with the Georgia Department of Community Health on March 31. When approved, two floors will be built over the driveway near the hospital’s loading dock, connecting the Shepherd and Marcus buildings. 

The second floor, consisting of about 6,500 square feet of new space, will house an updated MRI suite, as well as a higher-resolution MRI machine. “We are purchasing a 3.0 Tesla machine, which is state-of-the-art,” Dr. Ulicny said. “It will really help with the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis patients.”

The pharmacy and lab will share the third floor, doubling their current size and making them more centrally located. There will be more work and storage space, which, in the case of the lab, will minimize having to send tests out to other facilities.

“Our patients may not notice this renovation when it gets under way, but it will benefit the staff tremendously,” Dr. Ulicny said. “It will help everyone in the lab, pharmacy and MRI department do their jobs more efficiently and improve their work environment. Ultimately, it will benefit our patients, as well.”

The Shepherd Center Foundation has launched a fundraising campaign to solicit gifts from individual donors and foundations. The project will be funded entirely through donated funds.

Once construction begins, it’s estimated to take about 10 months to complete. Because the addition involves creating new space, the project will be less intrusive and disruptive than some of the hospital’s other expansion projects. 

About Shepherd Center

Shepherd Center provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. An elite center recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems, Shepherd Center is ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again.