Pardon their dust: expansion continues at local hospitals

Expansion and renovation projects designed to make room for more patients and improve efficiency continue at local hospitals.

Franciscan St. Margaret Health hospital in Dyer is in the midst of a project that will expand capabilities of its emergency, laboratory and surgical departments.

The work has a target completion date of Dec. 31, said Dan Ratko, hospital manager for project construction.

Work started in the fall. Recent extreme cold has been an obstacle but is not expected to delay the completion date.

"The weather has been a challenge," he said.

The hospital is remaining fully functional through the construction process, he said.

The project includes a 3,500-square-foot addition to the emergency department, a state-of-the-art trauma room that will double the size of the current facility, an isolation room for infectious patients and new, specialized patient exam rooms, according to the hospital.

The laboratory department improvements will increase efficiency. And, improvements to the surgery department include a 760-square-foot surgical suite and a new pre-admission testing space.

Construction also continues at Community Hospital in Munster, which is undergoing a multi-phase project to add more private rooms, expand the main surgical services area, double the capacity of the neonatal intensive care unit and provide advanced technology and accommodations to care for more stroke and heart patients.

Marie Forszt, director of marketing for the hospital, said construction of the new floors is on target to be completed in mid-May.

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Pardon their dust: expansion continues at local hospitals