MCA rehabilitation unit opened on June 5.
On June 5, Medical City Arlington’s executive staff, community leaders and guests celebrated the opening of the new $12 million, 15,638 square feet inpatient rehabilitation unit, which adds a fifth floor and 16 beds to the existing tower.
MCA is located at 3301 Matlock Road in Arlington. The new floor was designed by architect Perkins + Will and the lead contractor on the project was DPR Construction.
MCA, with more than 1,200 health-care professionals and volunteers and more than 600 physicians, is a 366-bed full-service acute care hospital. Acute care is a branch of secondary treatment that consists of short-term emergency treatment and critical care.
“Medical City Arlington is steadfast in our commitment to increase our capacity, capabilities and efficiency in order to serve the healthcare needs of Arlington and surrounding communities,” said Keith Zimmerman, CEO of Medical City Arlington, in a news release. “Offering patients the opportunity to undergo rehabilitation therapy before leaving the hospital sets us apart from other facilities in the area. Our highly-skilled patient care team is dedicated to designing individualized rehab programs for each patient.”
The IRU is designed to help patients with debilitating injuries ranging from strokes and neurologic disorders to hip fractures, amputations and multi-traumas. Patients in the unit will receive short-term individualized rehabilitation until they are able to return home.
The project brings 16 new private patient rooms – featuring flat screen TVs, safety monitors and separate baths – a dining area, an apartment-style room for patients to practice self-care skills such as bathing, laundry and cooking, and a rehabilitation gym.
The IRU is a small part of a total $100 million ongoing facility expansion and renovation project. In addition to the IRU, the full project includes a $25 million emergency room and intensive care unit, and a $5 million 3-D Biplane that can create 360-degree radiological imaging, both of which have been completed. The new ER added a new CT scanner and a 6-bed pediatric unit, and the new ICU development added 24 private rooms to be used for trauma and intermediate care and will be equipped with satellite stations for patient monitoring. An additional $3 million in operating room renovations will add space to two operating rooms and increase the number of post-anesthesia care areas.
Finally, $60 million is being used to expand and renovate the Women’s Tower which will become the Medical City Arlington Women’s Hospital. MCA hopes to begin construction on what will become the Women’s Hospital this summer. When the project is complete, the Women’s Hospital will include 70 post-partum, ante partum and gynecology beds, 23 labor and delivery suites, and 35 beds in the neo-natal ICU. MCA is also enlarging its labor and delivery recovery area to assist with the more than 4,300 babies born annually at MCA.
Currently, MCA is the only Level III Trauma Center in Arlington, and they are seeking Level II designation. According to the American Trauma Society, “A Level III Trauma Center has demonstrated an ability to provide prompt assessment, resuscitation, surgery, intensive care and stabilization of injured patients and emergency operations.”
A Level II Trauma Center, however, goes even further and is able to “indicate definitive care for all injured patients.” Centers at this level are expected to include: 24-hour coverage by general surgeons, those in orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology and critical care. They also must provide trauma prevention and continuing education programs for staff, as well as incorporate a comprehensive quality assessment program.