Birmingham's first new hospital of the 21st century is one step away from becoming a reality. Trinity Medical Center officials say work will begin at the hospital's new Irondale location as soon as a certificate of need is approved. Estimated completion time is about 38 months. Administrative law judge hearings on Trinity's application are scheduled for July 30 through Aug. 17.

"This hospital is an exciting undertaking for the community, for the medical staff and our employees," said Vicki Briggs, Trinity's chief executive officer. "In a situation like this, you have to look to the future. Our focus is being sure we're prepared to provide healthcare to the people in this area for a long time to come."

Trinity plans to build at I-459 and Grants Mill Road in Irondale, adjacent to the Zamora Shrine Temple. The hospital will lease 154 acres, which the city of Irondale is buying from the state for $7 million. Trinity will pay the Zamora Temple $1.5 million for an additional 25 acres.

The new nine-story hospital will have more floor space — 815,624 square feet compared with the present 665,758. But the number of licensed beds will drop from 560 in the present 40-year-old hospital to 454 in the new one.

The difference? Space for modern operating room equipment. "If you look at the way healthcare was delivered 40 years ago, virtually no surgical procedures were done on an outpatient basis," said Briggs. "Now about 60 percent are. The size of our operating rooms will increase by 50 percent, because there's so much technology that has transpired over the past 40 years. Examples are laparoscopic procedures, endovascular procedures and the da Vinci® Robotic Surgical System. Equipment for these types of surgery takes a lot more space. But because minimally invasive surgery shortens the length of time patients stay in the hospital, the hospital's actual capacity to provide service will increase."

Briggs said the alignment in the new hospital for services needed by patients also will mark an improvement over 1960s hospital design. "For instance, our facility for diagnostic imaging will back up to our surgical suites," she said. "And our cath labs will be right below our cardiovascular intensive care units. There'll be a dedicated elevator to go directly from the labs or the open-heart surgery rooms to where patients will be recovering."

Briggs said Trinity plans to remain a full-service tertiary care hospital, but will expand some present services. Among these are emergency room services, which will nearly double in size. "We expect emergency room volume to go up pretty dramatically since we're right on an interstate," she said. "We're also looking at growing our OB/GYN business."

John T. Eagan Jr., MD, president of Trinity's medical staff, said the replacement hospital will not only be more accessible geographically, but the design and layout will make services more easily accessible within the hospital.

"We'll be using the Centers for Excellence model in hospital design, in which patients have direct access to major medical specialties such as women's health, treatment for heart problems or cancer treatment," Eagan said. "Patients don't spend wasted time in holding areas or on elevators, but can go directly to specialty areas where they need to be."

Eagan said Centers for Excellence provide more efficient service and better checks and balances. These features translate into cost savings for the hospital and better care for patients.

The decision to build a replacement facility on a new site had heavy backing from the medical staff, Eagan said. "Our physicians believe that a modern hospital that is planned will better serve our patients," he said. "And our business office people told us we could build a better facility from the ground up. We have a tradition of highest quality of care, and this will enable us to continue that tradition."
He added that he and other Trinity physicians have been heavily involved in developing plans for the new hospital: "This administration is one that works well with physicians and they have programs that involve physicians in planning the delivery of care."

Although Trinity's decision to relocate outside Birmingham generated some controversy and opposition from the Birmingham City Council, hospital officials said they picked the best available site. A hospital press release said that Trinity's service area includes 14 counties and 100 zip codes. The wooded tract overlooking the Cahaba River is close to I-459, I-20 and I-59, making it convenient for patients and staff. There also is about 50 percent more acreage than on the present campus, providing space for two professional office buildings as well as room for future growth.



June 2007