COVINGTON – The St. Tammany Health System Board of Commissioners and executive team broke ground Wednesday (Nov. 2, 2022) on the Northshore’s newest healthcare facility, a $75 million same-day surgical center adjacent to the existing Paul D. Cordes Outpatient Pavilion at 16300 Louisiana 1085 (Bootlegger Road) south of Covington.
The 126,000-square-foot building, which when complete will boast 12 surgical suites and an array of support services, is expected to be complete and ready for patients by late summer 2024.
“Today, we’re simply turning dirt,” St. Tammany Health System President and CEO Joan Coffman said. “But when our construction team is finished on this state-of-the-art facility, it will stand as another fulfillment of our promise to deliver world-class healthcare close to home for residents of west St. Tammany Parish. We take that promise seriously.”
Announced in October 2021, the new surgery center will mark the fulfillment of a strategic goal of the health system as recent advancements in technology and recruitment of highly skilled specialists have increased the volume of surgeries that can be accomplished in a 23-hour stay.
“But it’s not about just the bricks-and-mortar,” health system Chief Operating Officer Sharon Toups said. “It is about the services that we will provide that represent the values we at St. Tammany Health System hold dear: teamwork, trust, compassion, quality and innovation.”
Also among those in attendance Wednesday were developers Don McMath and Jared Riecke; Keith Barre, Keiran Weldon and Becky Parks of design firm fl+WB; as well as representatives of St. Tammany Health System partner Ochsner Health.
In addition to its 12 surgery suites, the new facility will host supporting departments and services including pre-operative and post-operative care, overnight stay beds, surgical sterilization, imaging, lab, pharmacy, rehabilitation, food service, environmental and other services.
Clinical capabilities planned for the center and scope of the project are being developed according to national best practices for high reliability, efficiency and safety for patients, STHS team members, visitors and vendors.
It is the latest in a string of recent expansions for St. Tammany Health System, coming on the heels of completion of a new four-story patient tower on its main hospital campus in April 2021, as well as completion in June 2021 of the new St. Tammany Cancer Center, a campus of Ochsner Medical Center, at Louisiana 21 and Interstate 12.
“In 1954, we were founded as St. Tammany Parish Hospital,” STHS Chief Nursing Officer Kerry Milton said. “During the dedication ceremony for that first building, Police Jury President Fred Mizell – speaking to hospital board Chairman Oliver Hebert – said, ‘In turning over to you the keys to this institution, Mr. Hebert, I say: May you never lock from your door one who needs your help.’ I am pleased to say we’ve honored those words over the past 68 years.”
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The heartbeat of its community, St. Tammany Health System cares for patients and families with excellence, compassion and teamwork. It is recognized for quality, safety and service excellence by CareChex, Leapfrog, Healthgrades, Hospital Compare, Women’s Choice and US News & World Report. St. Tammany Parish Hospital Service District No. 1 and Ochsner Health work together in partnership to improve the community’s health and quality of life. Together, west St. Tammany’s top two independent health leaders represent the most complete system of care, aligning behind the common goals of improving access, expanding specialty care and making care affordable. Under their agreement, each retains its autonomy; neither manages nor owns the other. Self-supporting, not-for-profit STHS is AA- rated by Fitch and receives no tax funding. More at StTammany.health