Omaha, Neb.-based Methodist Hospital will open 15 new operating rooms next month. The new rooms are an integral part of a larger $90 million construction project, according to Live Well Nebraska.
Methodist Hospital's operating rooms are the busiest in the state, according to data from the Nebraska Hospital Association, which led the hospital to plan the expansion. In the first seven months of 2015, Methodist performed 18,670 surgeries, compared to Nebraska Medical Center, which performed the second most surgeries with 10,918.
In addition to adding new rooms, Methodist increased the size of the operating rooms from 420 square feet to 650 square feet, according to the report.
One of the new operating rooms is a "hybrid," where two different kinds of procedures can be conducted on a patient during the same session, according to the report. Two other rooms are dedicated to heart surgeries, and these operating suites will include side rooms to store extensive technology that isn't required for every cardiac procedure.
According to Cyndy Peacock, president of the Methodist Hospital Foundation, $40 million of the $90 million project was donated by community leaders, foundations and others. In addition to the expanded operating rooms, the entire hospital expansion project included mechanical and electrical work, a new endoscopy center and an upgraded kitchen and dining room, according to the report.