After more than three years of construction, Billings (Mont.) Clinic finished its almost $21 million renovation project.
The expansion included three 600-square-foot operating rooms, new catheterization and electro-physiology labs and a 1,100-square-foot hybrid operating room.
Construction began in 2013 and occurred in six phases to maintain the hospital's OR services. The project cost $20.9 million, with $13.5 million going to the OR expansion and $7.4 million spent on the hybrid OR, catheterization lab and electro-physiology lab.
The hybrid OR combines high-tech imaging equipment with the resources of multiple specialties, allowing surgeons to perform new medical procedures they couldn't do prior to the renovation. The OR expansion allowed Billings Clinic to increase the number of patients who come through the OR from 10,000 in 2013 to 17,700 in 2015. Hospital officials also say the expanded catheterization lab has decreased patient wait times from several months to four to six weeks.
While all major renovations are complete, one last project to build new employee lockers and a lounge is underway.