UH Ahuja Medical Center’s new emergency department is officially open, but that’s not the only patient-centric improvement here

By Mimi Vanderhaven

University Hospitals (UH) Ahuja Medical Center is celebrating the grand opening of its Phase 2 expansion with a program and tours for lead project donors on Friday, June 9, from 5 to 7 p.m., and for the community on Saturday, June 10, from 2 to 4 p.m.

UH Ahuja Phase 2 will be in full operation for patient services later in June, with the new, expanded Emergency Department already open and additional services opening June 27. The $236 million project is expected to bring more than 500 jobs to the community.

The medical center’s footprint has almost doubled in size, with the addition of a 222,000-square-foot, three-story hospital pavilion addition and the 76,200-square-foot UH Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute.

“UH Ahuja Medical Center was always intended to be a facility that would grow and evolve with the community to meet its needs,” says Percival Kane, Jr., MHA, Chief Operating Officer, UH Ahuja Medical Center. “We successfully charged forward by almost doubling the size of our footprint while revolutionizing the way we deliver care. We not only expanded services that are outgrowing our original configuration, but we also designed new buildings from the ground up to allow our caregivers to efficiently provide quality health care and enhance the patient experience.”

UH Ahuja Phase 2 paves the way for a number of new health and wellness services, including:

UH Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute
Serving athletes from peewee to pro, the UH Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute is a local and national leader in delivering superior, comprehensive sports medicine services. The space includes a 45-yard football training field, an outpatient rehabilitation space, a sports walk-in clinic and dedicated high-tech imaging.

Steve and Loree Potash Women & Newborn Center
Designed to meet the growing need for higher-level maternity and neonatal care in an easy and accessible location, the Steve and Loree Potash Women & Newborn Center offers labor and delivery services, the Richard Horvitz and Erica Hartman-Horvitz Neonatal Unit, high-risk pregnancy services, a Level II special care neonatal unit, and two on-site surgical suites to support multiple birth plans.

UH Cutler Center for Men
With the help of the UH Cutler Center for Men, patients will be motivated to see a doctor regularly to address concerns before they become major health problems. Overlooking the William Barr III Fieldhouse, the waiting area includes a pool and foosball table, Cleveland Browns stadium seating, and a Zen area where patients can relax. The Center offers an additional focus on minority men’s health and is helping men take control of their health through personalized concierges, called the Joe Team.

UH Breast Center
The UH Breast Center provides innovative and personalized care aimed at preventing, diagnosing and treating benign and malignant breast disease. As part of the UH Seidman Cancer Center, this new center serves as a one-stop resource, where patients can receive a diagnosis, treatment plan and have surgery—all in one place. The UH Breast Center also features the latest diagnostic technology, including five new mammography rooms.

Emergency Department and Short-Stay Unit
The new Emergency Department (ED) at UH Ahuja Medical Center nearly doubles in size to 43 beds. It includes two trauma bays and five fast-track rooms. Offering both adult and pediatric emergency care, the ED was designed with the family in mind and provides spacious rooms. In addition, a new 23-bed Short-Stay Unit will provide dedicated observation services.

Surgery Center
The Phase 2 expansion increases operating room (OR) capacity at UH Ahuja Medical Center by 80 percent with the addition of eight new ORs, bringing the total number of OR suites to 18. Initially, four ORs will open and allow for expanded surgical and endoscopy services, including more orthopedic, general and gynecology services. A new Central Sterile Processing (CSP) area, which cleans, sterilizes and prepares medical instruments, features decorative glass walls. From an infection prevention standpoint, the walls are not only easy to clean, but also gave the CSP team an opportunity to customize their work environment with picturesque landscape images.

“As an anchor health-care institution on Cleveland’s east side, we look forward to opening these new and expanded services to our community,” says Percival. “We are reimagining the way health care is delivered, both in person and through technology, and are excited to introduce a new level of customer service that will support and make it easy for our patients to stay healthy.”

For more information about the expansion project, please visit UHhospitals.org/AhujaExpansion.