VINELAND, NJ (January 17, 2019) — Inspira Medical Center Vineland unveiled the new, $34 million expansion of its patient tower, which includes two new floors totaling about 56,000 square feet, on Oct. 15, 2018. The second-floor expansion is home to 2 East, a Medical Surgical Acute Care Unit featuring 36 private rooms, two family lounges and a consultation room.
The project was a direct response to the community’s growing demand for emergency care and inpatient beds. “Like most hospitals, we struggle with capacity during flu season,” said Betty Sheridan, chief operating officer of Inspira Medical Centers Vineland and Elmer. And for Sheridan and the staff, not being able to accommodate all the community’s needs during the winter was a problem that had to be addressed. “The additional 36 beds give us a total of 312 beds, which gives us a capacity we simply didn’t have last year.”
But it’s not just quantity that Inspira is going for — it’s quality as well. In an attempt to update the center’s design from 14 years ago when it opened, Sheridan and Inspira have taken into consideration that healing is a complicated process, one that is very much affected by one’s surroundings. “The rooms are much more spacious, and we put local artists’ murals within each room. We wanted to give our patients a warmer environment, more conducive to healing,” Sheridan said. And it wasn’t just the patients whom Inspira kept in mind during the expansion — it also was the visiting family members. To accommodate all of those supportive family members and friends who are by the sick and injured patients’ sides, Inspira has added 50 additional parking spaces to accommodate visitors, in addition to the two family lounges.
The expansion of the patient tower is not the only change Inspira has recently made: In 2017 at Inspira Medical Center Vineland, it opened its Senior Emergency Department, adding 11 bays to the center. “We want to give our patients the best possible outcomes — the increased emergency and inpatient capacity will decrease wait times for our patients,” Sheridan said.
And the expansion’s namesake — Southern Oncology Hematology Associates — speaks to Inspira’s strong connection to the community around it. “Southern Oncology Hematology Associates were so generous with their support of the project,” she said. “They’re a big part of the community here and are very supportive of the hospital. We’re so grateful for them.”
Inspira is a charitable not-for-profit health care organization serving communities across southern New Jersey. The network comprises three hospitals, a comprehensive cancer center, several multispecialty health centers and a total of more than 150 access points. And Sheridan said that it’s the standard of excellence throughout the entire organization that inspires Vineland’s staff: “Everyone is just so excited for the opportunity for this expansion. We’re all pleased to be able to take care of patients in this new environment, while providing the same level of expert care that the organization is known for.”
About Inspira Health
Inspira Health is a charitable nonprofit health care organization and a regional leader in physician training, with approximately 160 medical residents and fellows in nine nationally accredited specialty programs. The network, which traces its roots to 1899, comprises three hospitals, a comprehensive cancer center, several multi-specialty health centers and a total of more than 150 access points. These include urgent care; outpatient imaging and rehabilitation; sleep medicine labs; cardiac testing facilities; digestive health and wound care centers; home care and hospice; and more than 30 primary and specialty physician practices in Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem, Camden and Atlantic counties.
Together with its medical staff of more than 1,100 physicians and other care providers, as well as more than 5,800 employees, Inspira Health provides evidence-based care to help each patient achieve the best possible outcome. Accredited by DNV Healthcare, the network’s clinical and support staffs are focused on providing quality care in a safe environment. For more information about Inspira Health, visit www.InspiraHealthNetwork.org or call 1-800-INSPIRA.
