Measure L Updates

Thanks to your support, we’re able to offer you the latest technology.

Artist's depiction of new Hazel Hawkins Campus

HAZEL HAWKINS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BREAKS GROUND ON


STATE-OF-THE-ART EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
 

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital broke ground for their new Emergency Department on March 6, 2008. The project is funded by Measure L, which was passed by San Benito County voters in May 2005. “The support of our community has been overwhelming” said Ken Underwood, CEO. “It is very satisfying to know that with our excellent staff and this new state-of-the-art facility, we are providing top of the line services to the community.”

With over 13,000 square feet of space, the new Emergency Department will more than double the size of the existing ER, and a new Fast Track facility will be implemented to diagnose and treat patients with minor injuries faster. The newly equipped ER will have 18 total beds which includes seven private treatment rooms, three state-of-the-art trauma bays, four negative pressure treatment rooms (one of which will be an isolation room), and a four-bed “fast track” area to speed up service for people who come in with non-life threatening conditions. The ER will also have a technologically advanced imaging room, and decontamination room. A large, comfortable nicely appointed waiting area for family members will also be an asset to the ER. To ensure the new and improved ER will be fully equipped, the Hazel Hawkins Hospitals Foundation has committed to raising $100,000 to purchase equipment not covered by Measure L.

For almost 100 years, HHH has been the community’s only provider of emergency and acute medical care. “We are excited to be moving forward with construction”, states Beth Ivey, Board President for the San Benito Health Care District. “The existing hospital building was constructed in 1962 and while some facility upgrades have been completed since then, no significant expansion has taken place.” Since 1990 the population of San Benito County has increased by over 45% to more than 56,000 residents. In 2006, there were 14,838 visits to the Hazel Hawkins ER and the number has risen steadily since then.. A new ER will be able to support up to 30,000 visits per year and reduce wait times.
 

MEASURE L UPDATE AND PARKING INFORMATION

We are excited to finally have construction underway for our new Emergency Department and the Support Services building. Construction began on both facilities on April 7th and is moving along.

The steel structure of the Support Services building will be completed by the end of May then, plumbing, electrical and exterior wall work will follow.

Work on the Emergency Department is moving along a little more slowly due to the moisture content of the soil that was below the helipad. Four extra days of earth work was needed to dry out the soil in order to start laying plumbing and underground electrical lines. So while it may appear that there is just a big hole in front of the hospital, in reality there has been quite a bit of underground work being done. Completion dates for these projects are estimated to be in the late fall of 2009.

While we are excited to begin our construction projects, we realize that it is creating a daily inconvenience for parking, and we apologize for that. We are continuing to address these issues and have created a parking incentive program for our employees that credit them for parking off-campus, carpooling, walking, bicycling, or finding alternative transportation to work in order to free up parking spaces for our patients and visitors.

Outpatient’s that require lab work can avoid the hospital altogether by visiting our satellite lab which offers, blood drawing, specimen collection and specimen drop off. The Satellite Lab Patient Service Center is located at 920 Sunnyslope Road, 2nd floor, and they are open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

We appreciate the community’s continued support during construction and we look forward to the time when we will be able to unveil our new Emergency Department to you.