Hospital unveils new admissions center

Nurses in matching scrubs greeted visitors to the hospital's new $450,000 admissions center Tuesday.

The new center adds 13 beds to the hospital and streamlines the admission process for patients.

The old admissions center was next to the emergency room. Admissions clinical coordinator Annette Patellos said there wasn't enough room or privacy with only eight curtained beds.

"There's more confidentiality in a new setting with new-age technology," Patellos said. "This provides an individual area where patients can have all their preliminary testing done without going to other areas in the hospital."

The small rooms can also be used for outpatients to recover before they go home, which frees up bed space for patients needing to stay overnight. The beds can also be used as overflow spaces when the hospital is full.

The center also has many of the amenities of home with small televisions in each area.

The bright, friendly appearance of the new admissions center pleased hospital Trustee Paul Saucedo.

"I've been in a few of these places," Saucedo said. "Sometimes you feel threatened in those places when you're with a bunch of other people. With this, at least you have privacy and with that some security."

As a physician, Dr. Basil Chryssos praised the streamlined admission process and friendly environment at the new center.

"Patients love it," Chryssos said. "This gives better service for our patients because things are done easier, faster and with less hassle for them."

About two years ago, the hospital secured architect Stephen Short from Roseville, Calif., to draft a master plan that could be used as a guide to construction projects on the hospital campus. The 10-year master plan has a $63 million list of items.

The new center was one of the hospital's major projects in the plan for 1999. Hospital trustees will begin to consider Thursday what construction projects the hospital might begin next.

There are about a dozen projects to choose from, as well as development of business plans for a medical office building project and the expansion of the Carson Rehabilitation Center. Short was asked several months ago to determine the feasibility of several projects and will present the results in an education session beginning at 4 p.m. at the trustee's meeting.

If you go:

What: A joint meeting of the Carson-Tahoe Hospital Board of Trustees Building Committee and Finance Committee

When: Thursday, 4 p.m.

Where: Pinon Plaza Casino Resort Conference Center, 2171 Highway 50 East, Carson City