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Those who pass by St. Peter's Hospital in Albany have watched as the Patient Care Pavilion and Diagnostic and Treatment Platform have been built.

The construction is one of several initiatives at the institution to cope with a changing medical marketplace and national reforms approved in Washington in March as part of the Affordable Care Act.

The addition on New Scotland Avenue and Manning Boulevard is part of a $258 million modernization and infrastructure improvement project at St. Peter's. When the sharp-angled structure is complete, 600,000 square feet will have been added or renovated in the hospital.

One change that future patients might appreciate is the increase in the number of private rooms. While the number of inpatient rooms will remain at 442, 70 percent of the rooms will be private. Currently, only ten percent of the rooms are private.

Restful solitude
Private rooms are more than a convenience for a patient who likes to recuperate in solitude. Studies have found that private rooms lead to less potential for disease transmission, greatly reduce medical errors, prevent falls and help patients sleep better.

Adult patients aren't the only ones getting privacy in the renovated hospital. In February, the hospital opened its new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The new NICU was designed to meet the needs of fragile babies and their families in a comfortable, family-friendly environment.

The NICU now is made up of a series of treatment areas known as pods. The pods provide privacy for the new families and reduce the chance of cross-contamination and infection.

"From the modern safety enhancements to the amenities for parents, we are proud to offer a NICU with a very private and soothing atmosphere," said Kathleen Brodbeck, vice president of operations.

The addition is a visible sign of change, but more is on the horizon.

In June, St. Peter's Hospital, Northeast Health and Seton Health signed an affiliation agreement which solidified the three agencies' desire to merge to form a new healthcare entity. The plans await government review and approval.

The merger would involve St. Peter's Hospital, Seton Health/ St. Mary's Hospital in Troy and Northeast Health (which includes Albany Memorial Hospital, Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital in Schenectady, Samaritan Hospital in Troy and The Eddy senior services).

The proposed merger would better allow the organizations to combine strengths and better meet the challenges of recent federal healthcare reform. That legislation aims to hold insurance companies more accountable, lower costs, guarantee more choice and enhance health care for all Americans.

"Whether we merge or not, change will and must occur in our organizations," said Steven Boyle, president and CEO of St. Peter's.

He said continuous state budget cuts and federal healthcare reform are both expected to lead to significant reductions in Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements for healthcare institutions in the next decade.

"What is really driving us is our desire to develop a system which better meets the needs of the community," he said.

Unique effort
Elmer Streeter, director of corporate communications for St. Peter's, said that changes in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements would cause a loss of $98 million to St. Peter's Hospital alone.

BY working together, the hospitals can better weather the loss in reimbursements, he said.

Mr. Streeter said this merger is unique. Northeast Health will remain secular, while Seton Health and St. Peter's will remain Catholic; the parent company will be secular and be a member of Catholic Health East.

The merger is a mammoth undertaking. With nearly 12,000 employees in more than 125 locations, the three systems currently provide a wide array of services to thousands of people each day.

The merger will allow people to get the medical care they need close to home. Mr. Streeter said the merger includes an investment of $50 million in facility upgrades at the two hospitals in Troy, St. Mary's and Samaritan.

These investments will allow people in Troy to have access to sophisticated cardiac serves and a new outpatient cancer treatment center.

"The best health care is closest to home," Mr. Streeter said. [[In-content Ad]]

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