Sanford Health is building a same-day surgery center and expanding the Sanford Children’s North Clinic, the health care provider announced.
The Sanford Broadway Same-Day Surgery Center will be inside what was the Sanford Seventh and Broadway Clinic and will contain six operating rooms and 19 recovery rooms.
Sanford’s operating room volume is high, Vice President of Operations Fred Fridley said. More procedures are now outpatient, he said, and the new state-of-the-art facility will help offload outpatient surgeries and increase inpatient surgeries at Sanford Medical Center.
The same-day surgery center also will be more convenient for patients and their families, President Dr. Michael LeBeau said, and will allow for easier access and discharge since patients can be dropped off at the front door instead of having to go through the hospital.
Sanford also is expanding its Sanford Children’s North Clinic on Interstate Avenue. The expansion includes 22 new exam rooms and more space for children’s therapies such as physical, speech and occupational therapy.
Part of the expansion in the children’s clinic includes space for a second spider cage, which is a therapeutic device that helps children with mobility and balance.
“I would argue that our therapies are some specialized therapies that you don’t get in other places,” LeBeau said. “Kids come from all over for these services.”
Sanford’s goal is to have all of its children’s services in one space to make it more convenient for parents, LeBeau said. The expansion will carry the castle facade from the original building, which Fridley said aims to take children’s minds off going to the doctor.
LeBeau said the new facilities are a continuation of Sanford’s growth strategy. Sanford plans to hire about 10 surgeons and eight pediatricians over the next five years. The health care provider also hired two pediatricians this year. Sanford has 42 surgeons and proceduralists and 21 pediatric providers.
Fridley said that Sanford’s obstetricians expect “huge” growth in the number of children in the area, and pediatric services have to grow as well. Fridley said the increase in specialists at Sanford means that people can be closer to home for their health care.
Construction on both facilities will start this month and is expected to be finished by the summer of 2021. Fridley estimated the cost of the same-day surgery center at nearly $16 million. Sanford officials did not disclose the cost of the children’s clinic expansion.
LeBeau said Sanford feels fortunate to continue to grow despite the economic conditions brought on by COVID-19.
“We feel really comfortable where our strategy is with the goal to bring new services to the region,” he said.
