SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Baystate Medical Center unveiled its new operating rooms and interventional suites on Monday.

These new operating rooms and interventional suites feature the latest technological advances, as well as provide larger space for surgery and procedures, according to a news release from Baystate Health.

This $170 million project replaces operating rooms that were built 40 years ago in the Baystate Daly Building. The 72,000-square-foot facility features the following:

  • 24 total operating rooms that are twice the size of the former rooms, four of which already existed.
  • 8 total heart and vascular and neuro-interventional procedure rooms.
  • 80 total prep/recovery bays and 60 new bays built and 20 pre-existing.
  • Operating room – Photo courtesy of Baystate Health
  • New surgical/procedural lounge area – Photo courtesy of Baystate Health
  • Interventional Suite – Photo courtesy of Baystate Health

“For over a century, patients throughout western Massachusetts and beyond have entrusted Baystate Health with their care. Our new operating rooms and interventional suites will allow us to build a strong future that supports the technical and clinical advances in the ever-changing world of surgery,” said Dr. Mark A. Keroack, MPH, president and CEO of Baystate Health.

“I am grateful to our many health care team members who brought their dedication and expertise to every area of planning for the new operating rooms and interventional suites from design to execution, and to the many construction workers who were provided jobs during this enormous multi-year project,” he added.

This update will improve all the rooms that are used for inpatient surgeries that involve an overnight stay, such as cancer surgery, cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, gynecologic surgery, major gastrointestinal surgery, robotic surgery, vascular, total joint replacement surgery, and orthopedic trauma and general trauma surgery. The suites will meet the needs of cardiac and neurological procedures, and the new imaging and catheter-based technology will be implemented to help minimize open surgery and optimize procedures that involve the heart and the brain.

“The new interventional suites will enable us to keep up with all of the changes in cardiology, including the growth in structural heart cases, such as the replacement of aortic, mitral, pulmonic, and tricuspid valves through procedures significantly less invasive than open heart surgery. This results in lower lengths of stay, fewer complications, less pain, and better outcomes for our patients,” said Paul Hocking, director, of Heart, and Vascular Service Line, Baystate Health.

The eight new labs have state-of-the-art imaging to deliver better quality images while also reducing the exposure to radiation, both to the Cath Lab team and the patients. The new labs also integrate the hospitals’ imaging storage into the procedure rooms to allow the cardiologist to integrate multiple images from CT, MRI, and Echo with the fluoroscopic images during the case.

The new software upgrades also allow for the 3D construction of models of the heart and brain, which gives physicians access to tools that were not previously thought capable. The hospital also invested in new electrophysiology software allowing for the more accurate diagnosis and treatment of abnormalities in the electrical conduction of the heart.

For people that are anxiously waiting for news about a patient, there will be enhanced patient/family communication through new electronic communication boards that will be in the waiting area, as well as the introduction of a web/cell-based app that can track their progress through care and provide up-to-date information during their procedural/surgical intervention.

Impact on patient care includes the following:

  • Decreased Wait Times – Expanded space in the pre-and post-procedure areas will improve the progress of patients throughout their care and reduce patient waiting times. There will also be a “control desk” that monitors each room so teams know which are finishing up and which are beginning procedures, streamlining the entire process.
  • Updated Imaging Systems and Technology – The new rooms will have a HexaVue Video Integration System that allows images from all the medical imaging equipment to be displayed in multiple locations throughout the room and will capture images and video during the procedures. The system will also have video collaboration conferencing capabilities for clinical staff and students to view procedures live. Updated equipment will aid minimally invasive and robotic surgery procedures, resulting in fewer complications and quicker recovery times.
  • Larger Operating Rooms and Interventional Suites – As Baystate’s cardiology and neuro-interventional programs have grown, so has the need for additional equipment and space to house that equipment and accommodate greater space needed to perform joint replacement and robotic surgery. The new procedure rooms will be large enough to take advantage of the latest technological advances and optimize the care of our patients.
  • Close Proximity for Emergency Procedure Use – The upgrade will co-locate the new operating rooms with heart and vascular operating rooms and critical care beds with the Emergency Department (ED) nearby. This decreases the transport time from the ED to OR for procedures for patients who are experiencing a heart attack, stroke or trauma. Also, the Sterile Processing Department will be right below for easy transport of OR equipment and tools.
  • Enhancements in Environmental Cleanliness – Significant improvements have been built into the new operating and procedure rooms.  Each new suite includes UV405 germicidal lighting.  When there are no occupants in the room, the room lights shift into the purple UV405 mode and remain active as long as the room is unoccupied.  UV405 lighting inactivates multiple species of bacteria, fungi, and some viruses.  This improvement will make the operating and procedure rooms as safe as possible for patient care.