State Endorses HealthAlliance Plans; Awards $88.8 Million Toward Capital Projects
KINGSTON, N.Y., March 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley has received state support to transform its Mary's Avenue Campus in Kingston into a single, state-of-the art hospital and to redevelop its Broadway Campus into a "medical village."
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Albany Friday awarded $88,756,441, the second highest single award in the state, to HealthAlliance through a competitive process to help pay for the projects.
Expected next steps include Kingston Planning Board approval of HealthAlliance's architectural and construction plans and a state Department of Health certificate of need approval.
Once approved, the planned Mary's Avenue and Broadway campus transformations will be the most comprehensive construction and facilities renovations and conversions in the 122-year history of the two hospitals.
All current HealthAlliance services will remain available throughout the transformation.
"HealthAlliance thanks our elected officials for their support of our transformation plan," said HealthAlliance President and CEO David Scarpino.
The new, expanded HealthAlliance Hospital, currently in development, will provide technologically sophisticated surgical, diagnostic and therapeutic services for acute and critical care inpatients. It will also house the Emergency Department, which is projected to be larger than the current ED on Broadway to meet growing community needs. Its expanded capacity and new life-saving equipment will offer an unprecedented level of readiness to care for a full range of emergency visits, currently at more than 45,000 a year. The new ED will also have an enlarged Fast Track walk-in care center.
The new complex, which will emphasize patient comfort, privacy and efficiency, is expected to be completed two years after approvals.
The medical village will be a neighborhood focal point, providing advanced, easy access to the finest conventional and integrative health services. Plans are already well in the works for community partners to offer primary care, behavioral health and other support services and for HealthAlliance to offer a new Outpatient Center for Rehabilitative Care and other facilities. Compatible retail shops will provide additional amenities.
The village is expected to open in phases starting as early as two years after approvals.
"We have worked tirelessly to develop a comprehensive project plan that will efficiently serve our community's needs," Scarpino said. "We're excited to enhance our technology and facilities in the new, single hospital and deliver a superior experience for patients."
"These advancements, including the new and expanded Emergency Department with its Fast Track program, will be designed for walk-up accessibility and urgent timeliness so staff can focus on providing patient-centered care, which has consistently been shown to improve patient health outcomes," Scarpino continued. "Patients will feel more welcomed, more comfortable and better cared for than ever before."
Fast Track provides emergency-level care to patients who have minor illnesses and injuries but still require prompt care. Most Fast Track patients are discharged within 90 minutes.
"Speaking for the entire Board of Directors of HealthAlliance, we are so pleased to be recognized by New York State for the vision and hard work put forward by the HealthAlliance leadership, staff and partners," said HealthAlliance board Chairman Thomas Collins. "This award enables us to transform our community hospital into a 21st-century model of first class healthcare delivery."
The transformed hospital and medical village are critical elements to a new "Healthy Neighborhood Initiative" HealthAlliance is developing with the educational and training institutions located between the two campuses, with city and county officials, and with community organizations and healthcare providers.
"The Healthy Neighborhood Initiative will significantly enrich the city's economy through workforce development and educational partnerships," said Collins. "And it supports city and county economic-development goals for the emerging Health and Education Innovation District."
"As you can see, the HealthAlliance transformation not only creates a neighborhood-based approach to providing high-quality health services across the entire continuum of care. It also provides Kingston with a landmark opportunity to become a best-practice model for other cities in New York struggling with similar issues. The transformation is part of a broader initiative for a competitive, revitalized inner city."
HealthAlliance received the funds from the Capital Restructuring Financing Program award from the state DOH and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York after completing a competitive grant process.
It submitted its grant proposal this year as part of a state program to provide capital funding for DSRIP projects. DSRIP, or the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program, supports hospitals and other providers in improving how they provide care to Medicaid beneficiaries and other patients.
HealthAlliance submitted its proposal as part of a Westchester Medical Center-led partnership known under DSRIP as a preferred provider system.
An independent review board stringently scored each proposal in the state to determine the amount of funding, if any, each intended project would receive.
About HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley®
HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley® is the alignment of HealthAlliance Hospital: Mary's Avenue Campus and Broadway Campus, as well as Margaretville Hospital, Mountainside Residential Care Center and Woodland Pond at New Paltz. As the parent organization with a unified governance structure, the goal of HealthAlliance is to strengthen the quality of care and bring forward enhanced technology to serve the present and future healthcare needs in the Hudson Valley. HealthAlliance and its affiliate facilities are committed to providing compassionate, patient-centered care and ensuring patient safety, privacy and dignity to all. For further information about HealthAlliance, visit our website at hahv.org.
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SOURCE HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley
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