Overhead view of construction last summer on the connector bridge at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center.
Courtesy Photo
If you’ve been by Carson Tahoe Health’s medical campus lately in Carson City, you may have noticed a large connector bridge between the Regional Medical Center and Sierra Surgery.
The hospital broke ground on several projects in October 2019, beginning the first phase of its 10-year master plan, including expansion of the emergency department and a two-level enclosed walkway connector between the RMC and Sierra Surgery.
The structure now bridges across Eagle Valley Creek and will offer large-windowed walls while providing access between the two buildings, according to a Feb. 1 press release from Carson Tahoe Health.
The connector is slated for completion in 2022.
“Even in the midst of battling a healthcare crisis and worldwide pandemic, construction for the master campus plan didn’t stop,” Michelle Joy, vice president and chief operating officer, said in a statement. “Carson Tahoe struck a balance between progress and responding to COVID. Shifting the course when and where needed, combining new processes with age-old empathy, and staying vigilant to the strategic blueprint while adjusting for a new reality.”
According to the press release, working through 2020 allowed for the addition of eight emergency department treatment rooms, bringing the hospital’s capacity to 32 rooms. The renovation also included a redesigned ambulance entrance.
Further, engineering and groundwork has been laid out for a 20,000-square-foot expansion of the RMC lower level.
“When completed this summer, a large portion of this space will be home to a new laboratory,” per the press release.
Additionally, an expansion project began last year at Carson Tahoe Behavioral Health Services’ Mallory Crisis Center, thanks to an $800,000 donation from the Mallory Foundation.
The project brings the total number of patient beds in the crisis center to 15, as well as adding triage/holding spaces for shorter stay patients, and three extra offices for additional providers.
“While renovation of any medical facility is no easy feat, it’s crucial to expand access to our growing and changing community,” Christina Sapien, director of Behavioral Health Services, said in a statement. “Mental Health problems continue to plaque our region, and we recognize the great need for care. The additional space will enhance the support we can offer those experiencing a substance use or mental health crisis.”
Also of note, a multi-year project “to update and energize” every patient room inside Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center continues, according to the press release.
