The Columbia County Hospital District is working on a redesign of the 50-year-old Ohio hospital building to improve its ability to meet current healthcare needs, according to an article on the Union-Bulletin website.
Columbia County Health System CEO Jon Smiley said that when the building was constructed, doctors were performing surgeries and delivering babies, and most acute-care rooms were occupied by two patients. Now, care is generally emergency or outpatient, and long-term hospital stays are rare.
The building’s original design has created inefficiencies in care today, Smiley said, and staff spends a lot of time walking large distances to get to patients.
An architectural review is being conducted to redefine how services are delivered, the article said.
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