“The board has approved a five-year plan to continue to provide the healing ministry of the Third Order of St. Franciscans — continuing the tradition they established when they came to Springfield in 1875,” said Mike Houston, chairman of St. John’s board of directors during the press conference. “I’m pleased that St. John’s is taking some major steps forward. Despite these tough economic times it is important to invest in the future and more importantly in our community.”

The new outpatient surgery area will be located in the former ophthalmology department and eye surgery center on the second floor of the Pavilion. The new department will occupy 16,020 square feet and include five operating rooms, 20 patient stations for pre-surgery prep and post-surgery recovery, two consult rooms and two waiting rooms — one for adults and one for pediatric patients.

Ritz said the new area will undoubtedly be put to good use. “Over the past three decades, outpatient surgeries have gone from representing about 20 percent of total surgeries to now representing more than 60 percent of surgeries,” he said. “As we look to the future, we want to ensure that we provide our patients, surgeons and staff with a state-of-the-art environment that meets their needs in an efficient and contemporary manner.”

The new facilities will allow patients easier access to the outpatient surgery with dedicated registration and waiting areas. A stand-alone sterile processing area, more spacious locker rooms for surgeons and staff, and dedicated pre- and post-operative areas,  including several private rooms, will provide a more efficient progression through the outpatient surgery process.

The surgery sites will each average 480 square feet — about 80 more square feet than St. John’s current surgery suites — which will allow for more room for state-of-the-art surgery technology, lighting and equipment, said Ritz.

The new department will feature natural stone, wood flooring, foliage imagery, warm colors and a cascading water feature in the registration and waiting areas. The design of the department also creates dedicated space for pediatric surgery patients.

A separate child-friendly waiting room with age-appropriate furnishings and private recovery rooms will help both children and their families feel less anxious, Ritz said.

“Our children need an area that is not intimidating and looks more like home and not an institution.

“Our outpatient surgery department will not only increase the comfort for our patients and their families, it will also increase efficiencies,” Ritz  said. “At a time when the government is looking to contain healthcare costs, this project is an example of how we can deliver surgical care more effectively and meet the demands of consumers.”

St. John’s new outpatient surgery department is expected to complete by October 2010.