Mount Nittany Medical Center moves forward with $350M expansion to begin next year
Mount Nittany Health announced plans Thursday for a $350 million addition to Mount Nittany Medical Center.
The 10-floor, 300,000-square-foot patient tower will include 168 private rooms, which will allow every patient to have a private room. The new rooms won’t increase the bed count but will be used alongside existing private rooms and some double rooms that will be converted to private.
Construction is expected to begin in summer 2023 with the tower set to open in December 2026. The work will be undertaken in phases in order to limit disruptions.
The facility will include outpatient clinics, a modernized data center, enhanced dining and food service preparation, outdoor space for patients, staff and visitors, a parking deck and walkway, the health care system said. The design will incorporate natural light into the rooms in a sustainable building.
“The new tower is a big, game-changing step to improve the environment for patients and staff,” President and CEO Kathleen Rhine said in a statement. “By investing in the new tower, we are creating a better environment for the medical staff and nursing professionals caring for our community members, and enhancing the inpatient experience with spacious private rooms, a therapeutic environment, convenient access to inpatient care services, and advanced technology.”
Employee feedback has been an important part of the process, Mount Nittany Health said, as almost 40 physicians and staffers served on the initial planning team. Staff input also will be taken during the planning and construction phases. “We anticipate mocking up of space alternatives and soliciting feedback from those who will work in the space, as well as patients and families.”
The project is also taking employee well-being into consideration, the health care system said. “The floor designs will be user friendly, and it will feature up-to-date treatment areas and amenities, including indoor/outdoor areas that will give teams much deserved relaxation time.”
The tower will also allow for increased flexibility and capacity during a pandemic, Mount Nittany said.
