Phoebe cuts the ribbon on new Trauma & Critical Care Tower

ALBANY, Ga. – Healthcare in Southwest Georgia is making a significant leap forward as Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital unveils its new Trauma and Critical Care Tower.

Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of its new Trauma and Critical Care facility.

With more than 5 years in the making, the $150 million dollar facility expands Phoebe’s flagship hospital in Albany. The tower features an Emergency and Trauma Center, a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and a Surgical Intensive Care Unit, enhancing critical care services for the region.

“Community needs have changed right? Patients are coming to hospitals more and more for more intensive services like our ICU, like a NICU, like a Trauma Center, an emergency room, and our facilities that we had were undersized. You know, they were built 30 or 40 or 50 years ago. And, things have changed. The number of people that are in the care center have changed. The equipment’s gotten bigger or there’s more of it. And, so, we’ve just had that need to be able to expand our footprint, but at the same time, design something that is focused around the patient and their healing,” said Scott Steiner, President & CEO, Phoebe Putney Health System.

But… this facility is just the beginning for Phoebe. Once the new Trauma and Critical Care Tower opens, Phase 2 of the project will begin, focusing on a complete renovation of the existing Emergency Room.

When completed, the upgraded facility will span over 53,000 square feet- nearly tripling the size of the existing ER.

Dr. James Black, Emergency Services Director for Phoebe Putney Health System, highlights how the new facility enhances the hospital’s ability to provide advanced care in rural settings.

“Believe it or not, the medicine is the same. Trauma is trauma. Whether it’s in here or Atlanta or New York or Chicago. The difference is that our density of hospitals is quite less and more spread out. So, we have to be able to deliver advanced care here because help is often several hours away. If we want to find a facility that has the same or higher capability we do. So, it is important that we do the best we can to keep advancing our ability to take care of patients and advance in the services that we have here so that we can provide those things in critical times,” said Dr. James Black, Phoebe Putney Health System Emergency Services Director.

Patients in the NICU and the Surgical Intensive Care Unit will be transferred to the new facility on January 15th. at 6 a.m. That same day, the new Emergency and Trauma Center will officially open its doors to new patients.

Phoebe’s staff is eager to serve the community in the upgraded space and remain committed to providing exceptional care.

“We ensure that we have a workforce, that we have team members, we have the Phoebe family to care for our community. I don’t know what we’re going to need in three years because, you know, it’s just not here yet. But, what we do know is we are still human beings caring for human beings. And, so, we still need Doctors and Nurses and Accountants and Nurse Assistants and Phlebotomists and Therapists and Pharmacists. We’re 5000 employees strong who are focused on caring for that next patient that’s walking in the door,” said Steiner.

De’Andra Jacobs reporting.

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