Officials from New York State, UR Medicine and St. James Hospital gathered Friday morning to cut the ribbon on the new, 87,000-square-foot hospital. Located at 7329 Seneca Rd. N. in Hornell, the new facility is nearly complete and will open for business March 17. The public was invited to an open house and tours at 1 p.m.
“Today we celebrate a new chapter in our community’s history,” said Bryan O’Donovan, St. James Hospital president and CEO. “This is the culmination of hard work and determination to keep quality health care right here in Hornell. It is the result of collaboration among our state and local partners, leadership at the University of Rochester Medical Center, St. James medical staff, our employees and the entire community.”
The project began several years ago with a collaboration among local legislators, community members, and St. James leadership, who worked with state officials to secure $63 million in funding for the project and preserve critical health care services in Hornell. Construction began in late 2017.
“This new facility at St. James Hospital will expand services and help to ensure the best care for patients in the area,” said New York State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “We are committed to investing in projects like the UR Medicine St. James Hospital to support state-of-the-art equipment and modernized space to improve the patient experience and make sure individuals and families receive the treatment and support they need to lead healthy and safe lives.”
“Today’s opening provides the people of Hornell with a state-of-the-art facility, designed to improve access to quality healthcare and keep vital services available to the community,” said New York State Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, M.D., J.D. “This is a fine example of what can be achieved through thoughtful planning and collaboration that aims to keep communities healthy and thriving.”
“I want to thank Gov. Cuomo, Dr. Zucker and the Department of Health, the State Legislature, and Reuben McDaniel’s team at the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York,” O’Donovan said. “Without the funding and their unwavering support, this project would not have come to fruition.”
“We are extremely grateful to Gov. Cuomo and New York State for supporting this outstanding new UR Medicine hospital and the entire Hornell Medical Village,” said Mark B. Taubman, M.D., CEO of the University of Rochester Medical Center. “These projects exemplify the UR Medicine strategy of providing high-quality health care as close to home as possible, with strong community hospitals supported by primary care and advanced outpatient services across upstate New York.”
Participating in the event with O’Donovan and Taubman were McDaniel, on behalf of Gov. Cuomo; U.S. Representative Tom Reed; University of Rochester President Sarah Mangelsdorf; SJH Medical Staff President Spencer Annabel, M.D.; former Hornell mayor and SJH board member Shawn Hogan; and SJH Board Chair Susan Gray.
“This is an exciting day for our Hornell community and for St. James," Gray said. “Our board would like to thank the many people who shared their visions, persistence and hard work that culminated in the completion and opening our new hospital building and to our community for its support as the vision has become a reality.”
State-of-the-art Facility
All areas of the new St. James Hospital are designed for a patient- and family-friendly care experience, with large waiting areas, comfortable furnishings, and ample natural light.
Highlights include:
- Inpatient unit with 15 beds, new monitoring equipment, and comfortable recliners if families wish to stay overnight with their loved one
- Emergency department with 8 treatment bays, 4 observation rooms, trauma room, 2 entrances (walk-in and ambulance), and helipad located adjacent
- Surgical suite with 4 operating rooms, 13 pre- and post-op beds in walled cubicles, and large family waiting room
- Imaging services with brand-new equipment (including full-time MRI)
- Laboratory services and pharmacy
- Infusion services
- Cafeteria, chapel, and gift shop
- Information desk and helpful ambassadors
The hospital is located adjacent to the new Medical Office Building (former K-Mart plaza), which provides essential outpatient services to the community, including women’s imaging, primary care, physical therapy and orthopaedics, urgent care, blood draw station, X-ray services, and specialists from UR Medicine.
The new hospital will open at 8 a.m. March 17. Operations will simultaneously cease at the 411 Canisteo St. location. During the ensuing two weeks (through March 31), St. James will collaborate with local emergency services agencies and will have a team of emergency medical services (EMS) providers at the Canisteo Street Emergency Department around the clock, to evaluate and transport patients to the new hospital on Seneca Road, to ensure continuity of emergency care.