The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences broke ground Monday for the construction of an $85 million surgical annex scheduled to be completed by spring 2023.
The UAMS Health Surgical Hospital, located near Hooper Drive and West Seventh Street in Little Rock, will focus on orthopedics, including orthopedic trauma, orthopedic oncology as well as physical medicine and rehabilitation.
"With the beginning of this exciting new project, UAMS is growing physically to meet the expanding volume of orthopedic surgeries at UAMS Health," Dr. Cam Patterson, UAMS chancellor and UAMS Health chief executive officer, said. "The new hospital will help us better serve our patients and their families.""The need for this space is evidence of the success and reputation of our orthopedic surgeons and the overall orthopedic team in patient care," Patterson said.
The 158,000-square-foot, four-story building will house 24 private inpatient rooms, 12 examination rooms, 12 operating rooms and eight exam rooms in addition to faculty and administrative offices for UAMS' department of orthopedic surgery as well as educational space for orthopedic residents.
"We are starting the process of making our future happen for orthopedic patients in our state," Dr. C. Lowry Barnes, chair of the orthopedic surgery department, said during the groundbreaking ceremony Monday morning.
"The best way to think about it is if you take the orthopedic patient and start drawing circles around that patient," Barnes said. "Everything they need will be available in this location. We look forward to that because we know it is the future of health care and the way health care should be delivered."
The new building will complement and not replace UAMS' off-campus orthopedic clinics elsewhere in Little Rock, according to a new release.
The project is being paid for by a bond issue approved this year by the University of Arkansas board of trustees and will be repaid by clinical revenue, according to board documents.
The proposal for the annex said it would serve as "a destination hub for multidisciplinary musculoskeletal care that attracts patients and sub-specialized physicians across the state of Arkansas and nationally."
"It will create an integrated environment that will foster enhanced brand recognition, high patient satisfaction, efficiency, education and research," the proposal said.
Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr., who also attended Monday's ceremony, said continuing investment in health care is crucial for the economic growth and future innovation of a city.
"It takes more investment to grow UAMS to make sure they have everything possible to do the impossible," Scott said. "This is what today represents: Doing the impossible. Because when we think about UAMS, we think about positive disruptors, strategic innovators, community healers and community drivers."
"This is yet another step of our long journey of making the impossible possible," the Mayor said.
Architects Cromwell and Davis Stokes Collaborative are designing the UAMS Health Surgical Hospital, an extension of UAMS Medical center.
The general contractor is Nabholz Construction.