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Marshall Medical Moving Forward with Expansion Marshall Medical is taking excess revenue from the last few years and moving forward with an ambitious expansion plan that will increase healthcare services and locations for the residents of El Dorado County. Marshall Medical, the new organizational name for Marshall Hospital and all its services and locations, is committing almost $60 million over the next five years. “We had a period in the late 90’s when we lost a lot of money and we were struggling for survival,” said Marshall Medical administrator Frank Nachtman. “We’ve really turned things around over the last three years and now we are moving forward with major construction and expansion plans. This will allow our patients to satisfy most of their healthcare needs locally. We have always been committed to being a nonprofit, community healthcare provider that invests its excess resources back into services and facilities to serve the community.” The highlights of the plans are an $8 million radiology upgrade, a $7.5 million outpatient surgery center in Cameron Park, a $6 million emergency room remodel, $3.7 million in additional parking, a new $2 million cardiac catheterization lab, and a $16.5 million obstetrics center. Radiology and Imaging Upgrades Marshall’s radiology department recently completed the installation of a new nuclear medicine room at Marshall Hospital in Placerville. This new diagnostic camera, used mainly for cardiac studies, can process images at twice the speed of the older machine. Over the next three to four years, there are plans to add an ultrasound machine at Marshall’s facility in Cameron Park, replace two existing CT scanners and possibly add another, and replace Marshall’s existing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine and possibly add another. There is also the possibility of bringing positron emission tomography (PET) imaging services to Cameron Park. Currently, patients have to drive to Sacramento to get a PET scan. PET imaging is mainly used for cancer and cardiac diagnostics and would be a perfect compliment to Marshall’s Oncology Center that is already in Cameron Park. Cameron Park Outpatient Surgery Center The new outpatient surgery center will also be located in Cameron Park. The surgery center is a joint venture with local surgeons and will provide a convenient location for Cameron Park and El Dorado Hills patients. The types of surgery that will be performed there include general, orthopedic, plastic, urology, and others. The completion date for this project is the summer of 2003. Emergency Room Before the emergency department can be remodeled, Marshall Hospital’s main laboratory and pharmacy will have to be relocated on the second floor where conference rooms and storage is currently located. Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2003. Cardiac Catheterization Lab Marshall will be installing a cardiac catheterization lab. Cardiac cath labs diagnose coronary artery disease and evaluate heart and coronary arteries. Local patients currently have to travel to Sacramento to access this service. Construction is scheduled to begin early in 2003. Birthing and Obstetrics Center The new birthing and obstetrics center will be a 40,000 square foot, 3-story facility on the Marshall Hospital campus. Services at the new center will be coordinated with a comprehensive women’s program that is still in the planning stages. Construction is expected to begin next year and be completed in 2005. Other Changes By the end of this summer, many of Marshall’s programs will be moved to a remodeled Midtown Mall, now known as 681 Main, in Placerville. Services going in there include the Marshall Community Health Library, the Mom Shop, Marshall HomeCare, health promotions, laboratory, and conference rooms. “Our market area is growing like crazy,” said Nachtman. “We’re taking the steps necessary to provide our patients with the healthcare services they need.” |
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