Mullica Hill-based Inspira Health broke ground on the 168,000-square-foot project in September, with completion expected in 2027. The expansion will enhance services in key specialty services, including oncology, neurology and cardiology.
The hospital’s average occupancy rate ranges from 87% to 93%. The new wing and overbuild will increase patient care space by about 40%, adding a medical-surgical, neuro-focused ICU, observation and maternity beds, according to Inspira Health President and CEO Amy Mansue.
“When we open the new wing and expanded maternity department in early 2027, we will be able to care for more patients, more efficiently,” Ms. Mansue told Becker’s.
A new observation unit with its own dedicated providers and clinical staff will further improve patient throughput during the evaluation process, she added.
The project also includes a new interventional radiology platform, which will increase capacity for both IR and cardiac catheterization patients. These procedures are currently performed in the same space.
“Creating a dedicated IR platform will allow us to meet the growing demand for both interventional radiology and cardiac cath procedures,” Ms. Mansue said.
Through its partnership with Camden, N.J.-based Cooper University Health Care, Inspira has attracted cardiologists, neurologists and neurosurgeons who otherwise might not have joined a community hospital like Inspira’s.
“This ensures most services remain accessible locally, with only the most complex cases requiring travel,” Ms. Mansue said.
Recruiting and developing the workforce
The project is expected to create more than 100 new permanent jobs once completed. It also aims to position Inspira to attract more specialists and perform more complex treatments and procedures.
To support its growth, Inspira is taking a comprehensive approach to workforce development, including a competitive rewards strategy for pay, benefits, career advancement opportunities and work-life balance.
“Our partnership with Rowan College of South Jersey also allows us to create courses and programs to address specific shortages,” Ms. Mansue said. “For example, a few years ago we noticed most of our respiratory therapists were in their mid-50s, with no pipeline of new talent. We partnered with RCSJ to create South Jersey’s first respiratory therapy training program, which now has 30 slots, benefiting both Inspira and the region.”
The Mullica Hill expansion will also provide more space for the hospital’s growing residency programs, strengthening the pipeline of future physicians.
“When all of our residency programs reach capacity, we’ll have approximately 380 residents and fellows training across the system,” she said. “Importantly, we’ve prioritized recruiting medical students from South Jersey, working with Rowan and universities in Philadelphia. If they grow up, train, and work here, they’re more likely to stay.”
Planning for future growth
The hospital, which opened in December 2019, was designed with expansion in mind, allowing for projects that minimize interruption of existing services, Ms. Mansue said.
When the new space opens in 2027, several areas will be shelled out for future growth, she added.
“With the aging population, the increasing acuity of our patients and our growing partnerships that enable us to provide more complex care, we anticipate our patient volumes will continue to increase in the years ahead,” Ms. Mansue said.
