The heavy equipment has arrived and the earth has begun to move for a new $13 million-plus facility at United Hospital Center that President and CEO Bruce Carter believes is the first of its kind in the state. In recent weeks, work has begun on the 55,000 square foot United Orthopedic and Spine Center on the Bridgeport campus.

 

“I’m not aware of any in the state. These types of facilities do exist as our team visited some, including one in Pennsylvania, but they’re hard to find,” said Carter. “This is certainly a unique and much-needed facility for this region that should draw individuals from a vast area.”

 

And it’s something that is a bonus to patients, the City of Bridgeport and beyond.

 

“The main benefit is to the patient, but when you have a facility like the one UHC is building that is unique to the state it shows that you’re on the forefront of the medical field,” said Bridgeport Community Development Director Randy Spellman. “A lot of people are aware of Bridgeport’s retail and office space, but to have a medical center you can’t find anywhere else in the state shows some tremendous diversity that’s beneficial to Bridgeport, the region and the entire state.”

 

The new center is a musculoskeletal facility, which will encompass orthopedic, spine and outpatient rehabilitation services. Although those services currently exist at UHC, they’re not in a combined space allowing for a “higher level of care” that Carter said is important. That, and other issues, led to the decision to building.

 

“We’ve outgrown our current office space since our move (to Bridgeport) and our outpatient building on Johnson Avenue (in the Johnson Plaza) was destroyed in the fire, which has caused some problems,” Carter said. “So many things led to the creation of a complete, comprehensive musculoskeletal facility.”

 

The new building will meet the needs of the patients it serves in a manner greater than just those working inside of it. The new building, despite covering 55,000 square feet, will be a one story structure. There will be no elevators, and the parking will be on level ground with easy access to the building. There will be two common entrances – depending on the services needed – with registration areas and lobbies, Carter said. On the left side will be the area for orthopedics. On the right side, those needing the spine center, to work with pain physicians or physiatry (pain control) among others can be accessed. X-ray services will also be offered.

As for the middle of the facility, it will host the rehabilitation center. The area will include a pool for various therapies and other medical uses.

 

Most of the services are currently situated on the fourth floor of the hospital. The removal of those services will open up tremendous space and allow for another expansion. Carter said gastroenterology, thoracic and ear, nose and throat specialists will be the group to benefit from the new space.

 

“We’ll remodel the fourth floor the following year and relocate those clinics there,” said Carter. “We’re short on space in those areas as well.”

 

Carter said the Bridgeport campus has made the expansion possible. Although he said there are no more expansions planned at the present time, he said there are two to three more locations already set up for future expansion.

 

“This location allows us to do that. Our former site didn’t have the space to allow us to expand like this,” Carter said.

 

Carter said the goal is to have the massive building done by January or February of 2015. The general contractor, Carter said, is Marks-Landau Construction.

 

“If you get into February for the work to be done, that would be at the end of the 11 month time frame we’re looking at for completion of this project,” said Carter. “That sounds like a short time, but you’re dealing with a single story structure on flat land with all the utilities already there. The contractor can move pretty quickly. When you eliminate the terrain issues, you’re eliminating months of work.”

 

Carter said the end product should prove to be a major advantage to those needing the service. He said the groups cohabitating the new building will allow patients to receive a complete  approach.

 

“This won’t be a ping pong approach to problems,” said Carter. “You’ll even have common conference rooms where the orthopedic surgeon, the neurosurgeon and therapists or any other special can confer conveniently to discuss the best way to address a patient’s needs. We think this is something the entire area should be able to use and be proud of.”

 

Editor's Note: Top photos are of construction currently taking place, while bottom photo shows UHC President/CEO Bruce Carter.