Back in March, Dave Ping, vice president of development for Health Quest, stood on the roof of the administration building of Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie looking down at the parking lots where a planned ambulatory service and medical office space would rise.
Seven months later, on Oct. 6, Health Quest and city of Poughkeepsie officials, led by VBMC President and CEO Dr. Daniel Aronzon, broke ground on the new 102,000-square-foot project, scheduled to open by late 2011. The project is expected to create at least 300 construction jobs.
Poughkeepsie Mayor John Tkazyik said Vassar”™s expansion was “an economic boon to the city and to the region.”
The $66 million expansion received a healthy infusion of capital with an initial donation of $5 million from the Dyson Foundation. A $15 million capital campaign will begin immediately with Rob Dyson acting as chairman.
In addition to 28,000 square feet dedicated to ambulatory services, 78,000 square feet will offer medical office space, allowing Vassar Brothers to partner with local physicians and attract new ones to the area, Aronzon said. A 900-space parking garage and a retail/café area are included in the expansion, while leaving room for future growth.
The new ambulatory center, which was designed by Steffian Bradley Architects of Enfield, Conn., will allow Vassar Brothers to free up space on its third floor, where it is currently located and allow the medical center to expand its maternity and pediatric services. With 2,800 babies delivered each year, it is the only hospital that offers a Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit (NCIU).
Vassar Brothers has won kudos from Health Grades for being one of the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for its maternity department.
While many Hudson Valley hospitals have teamed up with downstate hospitals to complement their services, Vassar Brothers and its two sister hospitals in the Health Quest system ”“ Northern Dutchess in Rhinebeck and Putnam Community in Carmel ”“ have not gone outside their territory to partner.
Ping told HVBiz there”™s no reason to look elsewhere: “Many of our staff have come from New York City Hospitals. At Northern Dutchess, our orthopedic care is second only to the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. The tide is starting to turn … local residents seeking health care are beginning to realize the vast array of quality services right here. There”™s no reason to leave the Hudson Valley for care ”“ we have the physicians and hospitals right here that can deliver the same or better level of service as hospitals outside the area.”
