A ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of Cincinnati-based Mercy Health's Jewish Hospital $80 million, ultra-modern expansion will take place July 21, according to the Cincinnati Business Courier.
The Cincinnati Business Courier describes the new patient tower's look as a "cross between an ocean liner and the starship Enterprise." It boasts a blue-tile façade complete with tinted windows and a curved exterior.
Along with new technology, the facility's unusual form is designed to support efficiency, according to the report.
The 32,000-square-foot renovation to the 154,000-square foot tower includes upgrades and new construction for the intensive care unit, blood cancer center, emergency department, orthopedic unit, cardiology, neuroscience and medical education center, in addition to making all patient rooms private and renovating the parking lot, according to the report.
The hospital even features a fountain shaped like a shofar, a trumpet-like instrument made from a ram's horn that is used in Jewish religious ceremonies. Physician employees of the hospital pooled donations to cover the $120,000 cost of the fountain, which was designed by Cincinnati artist Bob Dyehouse, according to the report. Mr. Dyehouse's sister is an oncologist and sees patients at Jewish Hospital.
In 2010, the Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati sold the hospital to Mercy Health for $180 million with the understanding the health system would improve the facility and its services. Over the last five years, Mercy Health has invested more than $130 million in capital and technology infrastructure and renovations in the hospital.