Walla Walla General Hospital Celebrates Historic Groundbreaking
Ceremony scheduled for July 20, 2011 at 11 a.m.
Walla Walla, Wash. -- On Wednesday, July 20, 2011 Walla Walla General Hospital breaks ground on a $15 million expansion to improve patient care, convenience and privacy. The groundbreaking ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. on the front lawn of the hospital.
Among the changes planned for Walla Walla General Hospital:
- Total renovation of the front entrance to enhance patient flow,
- Expanded emergency center which will double in size to better serve patients,
- Centralized registration and waiting areas for increased privacy and convenience,
- Upgrades to physician offices,
- Enlarged cafeteria highlighting healthy food options, and
- A new volunteer gift shop.
The project is expected to take about 18 months to complete. Local contractors Opp & Seibold will head up the construction. Plans for the project were completed by Peterson Kolberg & Associates from Portland, Ore. This is the first major hospital renovation since the current building was finished in 1978. The hospital's plans stem from a master-planning effort spanning the last three years and from community research on how to better serve the Walla Walla community.
"We're excited about these significant upgrades to Walla Walla General Hospital and what that means for health care in Walla Walla," says Monty Knittel, president and CEO of WWGH. "Our services continue to expand and it's time for our facility to match the quality of service and patient satisfaction we provide on a daily basis."
In addition to the expansion project, the hospital is celebrating the grand opening of a new cardiac catheterization lab on July 20. Tours of the high-tech lab will run from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The community is also invited to meet cardiologist Bradley Titus, MD, at this time.
