University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center to move, upgrade and expand Orthopaedic Center as a dedicated unit

Renovation will give orthopaedic patients a more personalized care experience

GEAUGA COUNTY – University Hospitals (UH) Geauga Medical Center is finalizing plans to move, upgrade and expand its Orthopaedic Center to create a new dedicated, 12-bed unit on the hospital’s first floor. The renovation will include new construction in an unused courtyard space.

“Currently, orthopaedic patients recover from surgery in a large, 30-bed unit that also accommodates medical-surgical patients,” says Julie Novak, RHIA, MBA, Director, Operations & Accreditation, UH Geauga Medical Center. “The Orthopaedic Center upgrade will create a more personalized, private environment for patients recovering from hip, knee and upper and lower extremity procedures.”

The specialized area will also facilitate a community preoperative/healing experience for those who come to UH Geauga Medical Center for the same joint replacement procedure. In addition, the Orthopaedic Center relocation will create greater capacity for general medical-surgical patients in the current unit. Four new patient rooms will be built there as well – two of which will be outfitted for low-acuity pediatric patients when needed.

The construction and renovation of the new Orthopaedic Center represents a $3.8 million investment for University Hospitals and UH Geauga Medical Center. “All 12 patient rooms will be private and spacious, which is why we are building out into the courtyard,” says Novak. “They are being designed with an orthopaedic patient’s needs in mind, because patient experience is always our top priority whenever we commit to a major facilities enhancement of this kind.”

The expanded Orthopaedic Center will also require a larger staff to care for more sports injury and joint replacement patients. “As a Joint Commission-certified hip and knee replacement facility, many of our unit’s nurses are specially trained and certified in orthopaedics,” says Peggy Kuhar, RN, MSN, FABC, Chief Nursing Officer, UH Geauga Medical Center. “When the new unit is completed, we will have approximately 20 nurses and support staff members to care for our patients and assist our four board-certified orthopaedic surgeons.” 

The new Orthopaedic Center at UH Geauga Medical Center is scheduled to open this fall. “We’re in the process of finalizing the unit’s architectural designs and construction will begin in the spring,” says M. Steven Jones, President, UH Geauga Medical Center. “We are excited that our new Orthopaedic Center will enable us to offer both our orthopaedic and medical-surgical patients an even greater experience, while maintaining our record of high-quality care and successful outcomes.”