Aberdeen

BY CALVIN MEN calvinmen@aberdeennews.com
July 10, 2012

Though construction has wrapped up on Sanford Aberdeen Medical Center, Sanford officials say they are halfway through the first phase of a clinic expansion project.

The roughly 43,000-square-foot clinic will receive a 7,000-square-foot expansion for five additional physicians, said Scott Eisenbeisz, director of clinic operations. Two cardiologists have already started working at the clinic and three more positions are being hired, he said.

"It was always meant to be expanded," Eisenbeisz said. "We were hoping not to get into that area for another two years. But we're about two years ahead of schedule with provider recruitment."

The construction on the clinic comes nearly five years after the building opened, he said.

Including equipment, furniture, construction and furnishings, the first phase of the clinic project will cost an estimated $565,000, Eisenbeisz said.
 
Though the clinic and hospital buildings occupy the same area — the hospital is on the west side while the clinic is on the east — the clinic project is separate from the hospital's construction, he said.
 
"We operate underneath two umbrellas," he said. "So this is really the clinic project versus the hospital project. So the hospital kind of made it happen quicker because of the services that (the clinic) needs to provide for the hospital to be able to support some of those other providers."

Originally, the space in the clinic was a single room that housed medical records and charts. The documents have since been moved to another site and the space will be converted to accommodate five physicians, up to 10 nursing support staff and possibly two receptionists, Eisenbeisz said.

Two of the five physicians are already working in temporary spaces within the clinic.

"It'll be a constant place for them to go for those services so our providers aren't moving around to suites when there's availability or open spots," he said. "It'll be a consistent place for them."

In addition, the expansion will also provide a second entrance between the hospital and the clinic. The first entrance is on the first floor and is open to the public, while the second entrance would be for hospital staff, Eisenbeisz said.

Eisenbeisz said planning for the expansion began a year ago. He said the first phase of the project, which began in June 1, is estimated to be completed by mid-August. He also said there are two additional phases for the the remainder of the project:
 
• Phase II: An internal remodel of the clinic that will add 12 exam rooms to accommodate four additional doctors.

The second phase is slated to begin in September and is estimated to be completed by the year's end, Eisenbeisz said.

• Phase III: An addition to the building. Eisenbeisz said what or when the third phase will begin is unsure because it's too early.

The cost of the two remaining phases was not available, he said.

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