New Virtua Voorhees Hospital takes shape
Virtua celebrated a milestone in the construction of its Voorhees replacement hospital on Jan. 27 with a "Topping Off" ceremony. The last steel beam was signed and hoisted into place atop the 8-story hospital, marking the completion of the steelwork and the beginning of interior construction.
The new $463-million state-of-the-art digital hospital will open in the middle of 2011. Services will include women's health services including maternity, pediatrics, oncology, cardiology and surgery. There also will be community meeting space, health and wellness retail shops and a café.
"This is an exciting day for Virtua and the entire region," said
Richard P. Miller, Virtua president and CEO. "This is a big step in the creation of a new healthcare campus that will include a hospital and an outpatient center for easy access to a wide variety of comprehensive services."
The Virtua Voorhees replacement hospital's 125-acre site is along Route 73, bordered by Dutchtown Road. The hospital will have 360 beds and 680,000 square feet of space.
"The current hospital was not built with 21st century technology in mind," said Miller. "The vision is to create a campus that will meet the area's healthcare needs for decades to come."
"Topping Off" ceremonies are a tradition of ironworkers, done when the skeleton of a bridge or building is completed. Virtua's event featured two traditional symbols attached to the beam: an American flag - representing patriotism - and an evergreen tree, a good luck charm for the occupants.
The finished hospital will incorporate numerous "green" construction techniques - including rooftop gardens, a runoff water collection system for irrigation, locally-produced materials and colors inspired by the Pinelands.
"We wanted a building that's warm and comfortable," said Miller. "It incorporates a lot of natural elements so it feels inviting. It's a healing environment."
As one of New Jersey’s largest health systems, Virtua helps people be well, get well and stay well through a comprehensive range of health care services. Services are delivered through three health and wellness centers, three fitness centers, four acute care hospitals, primary and specialty physician practices with more than 240 physicians, urgent care centers, seven ambulatory surgery centers, home health services, two long-term care and rehabilitation centers, 12 paramedic units and a wide range of outpatient services. A leader in maternal and child health services, Virtua delivers almost 8,000 babies a year. Virtua also provides employment and wellness services to 1,700 businesses and corporations. An innovator in clinical and information technology such as electronic medical records, Virtua is recognized for its ground-breaking partnerships with
GE Healthcare,
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the
Fox Chase Cancer Center. It is the official orthopedic provider for the
Philadelphia Flyers. Virtua employs more than 8,400 people and has been honored as the #1 Best Place to Work in the Delaware Valley for seven consecutive years. It is the recipient of the Consumer Choice Award from the National Research Corporation. For more information, visit
www.virtua.org or
www.virtuabroadcastnetwork.org.