Mount Nittany Medical Center officials outline new projects

Executives from Mount Nittany Medical Center outlined future projects for the Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, describing upcoming facility improvement and expansion.

Discussion of the hospital came as MNMC executives requested a resolution relating to the issuance of a series of hospital revenue obligations for financing and/or reimbursing the costs of renovations and improvements to the hospital. Commissioners unanimously approved the resolution.

“We’re excited to talk about our next stage of growth for Mount Nittany Health and are looking forward to your support,” said President and CEO Steve Brown.

Hospital officials were seeking the issuance of tax-exempt bonds, former Senior Vice President and CFO Rich Wisniewski said, saying the purpose was to refinance bonds that were reissued in 2011. Since interest rates have dropped, the lower rates would allow the hospital to save about $5.7 million.

“That savings will the be reinvested into the community that we serve and provide care to the people of this community,” he said.

Since the bonds were issued through the hospital authority, he said, there would be no cost to the county.

The lower interest rate will also allow the hospital to finance $20 million in projects to expand hospital services, he said. Projects include boiler replacements, kitchen renovations, an additional linear accelerator for cancer treatment, expansion to the cardiovascular suite and a two-story parking garage.

Two of the four boilers in the hospital are the original boilers from the hospital’s construction in 1972, Wisniewski said. While they have been maintained, it’s been recommended that better efficiency can be achieved by replacing the aging equipment.

The kitchen is also the original facility when the hospital was built 44 years ago, he said, and was designed to serve 60 to 90 patients a day. The hospital is now preparing meals for 160 to 190 patients as well as cafeteria services for employees and visitors.

An additional linear accelerator will increase the hospital’s cancer treatment abilities, he said. The additional accelerator would add to the therapeutic and diagnostic services the hospital already provides.

The hospital’s existing cardiovascular suite has already responded to numerous urgent and emergency heart situations and needs to expand and update. Existing space is being examined in the hospital now, Brown said, but a new suite could be built on top of the emergency department, keeping the flow of care together.

Finally, a new parking garage would add about 300 new parking spaces, Wisniewski said. Costing about $7.5 million, Brown said the structure would be prefabricated off site and constructed on an existing lot with room to build upward if the need arises.

Expansion in the hospital is based on growth, Brown said, saying the hospital now treats about 500,000 patients a year from six counties.

All projects are expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2017, he said.

This story was originally published February 23, 2016 at 5:49 PM with the headline "Mount Nittany Medical Center officials outline new projects."