Construction Paves The Way For Success

Building a Better Healthcare Experience

At the start of 2020, Carson Tahoe was collectively “looking ahead and dreaming big.” As we all know, 2020 had plans of its own, and some of our strategic goals were placed on pause. Despite the challenges we all faced last year, many of the strategic goals were still accomplished, some of which included major construction projects.

For starters, Carson Tahoe Health stakeholders outlined a five-year strategic plan and created a roadmap to enhance our impact on the community and improve various aspects of the organization.

We also continued to move forward with several renovations and expansions, such as the growth of the emergency department and a two-level enclosed walkway connector between the Regional Medical Center and Sierra Surgery. The structure now spans Eagle Valley Creek and, when complete in 2022, it will offer large-windowed walls and spectacular views of the surrounding flora and fauna while providing patients, staff, and visitors convenient access between the two buildings.

“Even in the midst of battling a healthcare crisis and worldwide pandemic, construction for the master campus plan didn’t stop,” said Michelle Joy, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “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.”

Working through 2020 allowed for the addition of eight emergency department (ED) treatment rooms, bringing Carson Tahoe’s ED capacity to 32 rooms, allowing better emergency medical access and timely treatment. The renovation also included a redesigned ambulance entrance. Further, the engineering and groundwork has been laid out for a 20,000 sq. ft. expansion of the Regional Medical Center lower level. Due for completion this summer, a large portion of this space will be home to a new laboratory.

Lastly, Carson Tahoe Behavioral Health Services’ Mallory Crisis Center expanded in 2020, thanks to a generous $800,000 donation from the Mallory Foundation. The expansion brings the total number of patient beds in the Crisis Center up to 15 and adds triage/holding spaces for shorter stay patients, as well as three extra offices for additional providers. This expansion has proven to be essential  due to the ever-increasing needs of our community.

While many of these projects are easy to see from the outside, there is also plenty of work taking place inside each Carson Tahoe Health facility to keep their services state-of-the-art. A multi-year project to update and energize every patient room is currently underway, pre-op and post-op units have been remodeled to be more efficient, and equipment and technology are continually being updated to meet the healthcare needs of the community.

“As you can see, a lot is happening here. 2019 was the year of change, from the inside out. 2020 was the year of adapting, as the pandemic forced many to shift their plans,” Joy said. “2021 will be the year of hope, progress, and one more year to power our main goal – helping to create a healthy and thriving community. These investments are one way to ensure we are continually improving the well-being of those all around us.

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