New Medical Center to Deliver Advanced, Expanded Services

ZANESVILLE, Ohio, Oct. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Genesis HealthCare System unveiled a $125 million facilities enhancement program that will expand medical services available to local residents and the entire region.

A state-of-the-art medical center will be built on the grounds of Bethesda Hospital in Zanesville. The design process will be complete and construction will begin in late 2012, with the new medical center scheduled to open in early 2015.

Initial plans call for a new patient care tower attached to a completely renovated Bethesda Hospital with a total of 260 all private patient rooms. A new outpatient cancer center and medical office building also will be built on the campus.

"We have made great strides to re-create Genesis (www.genesishcs.org) for our community over the last few years. We have recruited 88 new physicians, initiated a regional electronic medical record system and achieved significant operational savings," said Matthew Perry, president and chief executive officer of Genesis.

Now Genesis turns its focus to facilities. An emergency/trauma department, intensive care unit, heart center, operating rooms and inpatient rooms will be included in the new addition.

The expanded medical center will include Centers of Excellence for Heart & Vascular, Cancer, Orthopedics, Women's Health, Neuroscience and Trauma/Emergency.

"This $125 million facility program will enhance the medical technology and services available right here in our community," Perry said. "The economic impact throughout the community during construction will be between $250 million to $310 million."

"Genesis is a regional referral center for a six-county area," Perry said. "Currently about 30 percent of the region's residents travel outside of the area, primarily to Columbus, and spend about $175 million there for care."

"With the advancements we have made, we can provide the majority of this care now, and our new facilities will enable us to meet even more needs, making it easier for patients and their families – and adding economic benefit to our community," Perry said.

The new facilities will increase Genesis' state-of-the-art service offerings, while also reducing the costs of maintaining aging and inefficient facilities. By eliminating duplicate services between its two locations and renovating the Bethesda building, Perry projected Genesis will cut $10 million from the annual operating budget.

Genesis will finance the project through a combination of bonds and a $15 million capital campaign.

SOURCE Genesis HealthCare System