The Eye Institute to Make $10 Million Investment in Oak Lane Facility

PHILADELPHIA, April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The Eye Institute (TEI) of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University will break ground on a construction project that will expand, redesign, renovate and dramatically enhance the existing facility. The "New" Eye Institute groundbreaking will be held April 29, 2010 at 3:00 pm. The project will transform the Godfrey Avenue facility into a state-of-the-art facility that will optimize the delivery of patient services and foster a quality learning environment for students.

About the Eye Institute: A Valued Resource for More than 90 Years

The Pennsylvania College of Optometry began offering clinical services in Philadelphia in 1920 and opened The Eye Institute at its current Godfrey Avenue location in 1978. For over 30 years, The Eye Institute has been an unrivaled setting for comprehensive eye care and an important component of the Philadelphia health care community.   Located in the Oak Lane section of Philadelphia, The Eye Institute employs a multi-disciplinary approach teaming optometrists, ophthalmologists, opticians, ophthalmic technicians, and other health care professionals to provide complete, quality eye and vision care to the community it serves.

Similar to a teaching hospital, TEI and its satellite practices serve as the clinical educational facility for the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University.  Each year, TEI's nearly 50 doctors, along with the interns that they mentor, provide the highest quality care during nearly 50,000 patient visits each year. TEI's mission is to provide competent, comprehensive, and patient-centered eye and vision care to all who seek services, while at the same time providing the highest quality clinical education to the optometry interns.

The Renovation Project: Responding to Changing Times

TEI received many awards for its forward-thinking design when it opened its doors in 1978, but as the rate and role of technology in society have accelerated, the original building struggled to accommodate these advances. "Educationally and technically our staff and students maintained a high level of performance and expertise, but so much is now dependent on technology, that adapting TEI to support the latest technology was critical," commented Thomas L. Lewis, OD, PhD, Salus University President. "As we moved forward with these plans we realized that this was a great opportunity to enhance the patient experience and to improve the learning environment for our students."

The result is a functional and attractive 14,000-square-foot expansion that will allow all patient care services to occur on one level -- a design that better meets patient demand.

"This renovation is all about convenience for patients and functionality for students and staff," commented Susan C. Oleszewski, OD, Vice-President for Patient Care Services at TEI. "Our patients, students and faculty have so many demands to deal with that we wanted to make sure that their experience with TEI was productive and efficient. For example, we will improve patient flow by creating one main entrance; centralizing patient check-in near the entrance; and locating an eyewear center next to that entrance."

Renovation highlights include:

• A design that supports efficient, high-quality patient care and respects patient confidentiality
• Integration of electronic health records
• A lower level that will allow for all patient care to occur entirely on one level
• Administrative offices located on the upper level, including 12,000 square feet of un-renovated space that can accommodate future growth
• Three primary care suites, a pediatric suite and a specialty suite, which includes - referral ophthalmologic services, vision rehabilitative services, and special diagnostic testing
• An expanded eyewear center, which includes more than 2,100 square feet of retail space

"TEI is proud to polish this jewel of Oak Lane. We are undertaking this $10 million project and we look forward to the positive impact it will have on the community, students, faculty and the future of eye care," noted Linda Casser, OD, FAAO, Dean,  Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University.

The project's estimated completion date is late spring 2011.

About the Groundbreaking

The groundbreaking will take place on April 29 at 3:00 pm at The Eye Institute on Godfrey Avenue in Philadelphia. Following a presentation by Salus President Dr. Thomas L.  Lewis, Vice-President for Patient Care Services, Dr. Susan Oleszewski, and local dignitaries, participants are invited to review schematic plans and enjoy light refreshments.

For more information about TEI, go to www.teivision.com.

SOURCE The Eye Institute