Officials at Riverside Community Hospital announced plans for a $315 million expansion on the facility’s campus that is needed to improve access to healthcare for a growing population.
Construction and a groundbreaking are anticipated to begin in early 2013 and the expansion project is expected to be complete in 2018.
Officials of the 373-bed Hospital describe the centerpiece of the expansion being a seven-floor, 292,000 square-foot tower which will house 12 intensive care patient rooms, 60 medical and surgical patient rooms, a laboratory and food services operations. The expansion project will include several major components including:
- A new 4-level, 861-space Parking Garage
- A new 3-floor, 60,000 square-foot Medical Office Building
- A seismic retrofit and cosmetic upgrades to an existing patient tower
- Imaging Department equipment additions and replacements with facility updates and expansion.
In addition, the expansion project will enable Riverside Community Hospital to offer 72 private rooms in the new seven-floor tower, providing more space to accommodate families and expanding its service offerings to more critically ill patients. Several floors of the patient tower will be shelled space available for future growth and expansion.
The project is anticipated to create nearly 400 temporary jobs in various construction trades and nearly 300 full-time hospital positions when completed.
These efforts are part of a continued investment by Riverside Community Hospital to meet the growing healthcare needs of Riverside and surrounding areas.
"From the inception of Riverside Community Hospital in 1901 and through today, we have been dedicated and committed to meeting the healthcare needs of the people we are here to serve. The Riverside Community Hospital campus has evolved over the years. The Hospital opened on our present site in March of 1925 after purchasing a five acre parcel for $10,000 and constructing a single story 85-bed hospital at a cost of $250,000. A six-story patient care tower, added in 1965 for $3.5 million, grew the Hospital to 325 beds. A six-story critical care tower housing intensive care beds, emergency services, surgical services and, later, the HeartCare Institute came online in 1988," said Patrick Brilliant, President and CEO of Riverside Community Hospital.
"Today, Riverside Community Hospital is a 373-bed hospital offering a complete range of healthcare services. It is owned and operated by an affiliate of HCA. In recent years, we have invested more than $70 million into Riverside Community Hospital and we envision more growth in the future as needs and demand for healthcare services continue to expand. This expansion project is an incredibly momentous achievement for us and our community, and represents the single largest investment in the Hospital’s 111-year history," said Brilliant.
"This investment is well needed and proves RCH’s commitment to improving the overall healthcare for our patients," says President of the Medical Staff at Riverside Community Hospital, Dr. Kenneth Dozier. "The expansion will give us the opportunity to meet the needs of today as well as those of tomorrow." Dr. Herbert Metsch, Chairman of RCH’s Board of Directors, added "We are very grateful for the work and collaboration of the Hospital, City, County and State governments to bring this project to a reality for our community. This is an exciting accomplishment for all of us."
Mayor Elect Rusty Bailey said, "The timing of these improvements is perfect. With the newly accredited UCR School of Medicine becoming a reality in the City, these advancements will position Riverside Community Hospital to partner with the University as a teaching hospital to train and keep future generations of medical professionals in Riverside and the region."
"The Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce is proud to be a collaborative partner with Riverside Community Hospital in supporting this exciting hospital expansion project," says Cindy Roth, President and CEO of the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce. "The new tower will be a tremendous addition to the community as it helps to ensure the improvement of access to healthcare. In addition, the project offers new jobs and more opportunity for our local economy."
"Riverside Community Hospital’s facility expansion and addition of nearly 300 new healthcare jobs is a huge boost to the local economy," said Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development Director, Kish Rajan. "The Go-Biz team worked closely with our regional partners to get this project to the finish line and add to the Inland Empire’s continuing economic recovery."
"The expansion of access to healthcare services and facilities is a critical need in this region and is a priority for Riverside County," said John Tavaglione, chairman of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. "This project will not only help fill that need, but also add good paying healthcare jobs. The collaborative effort with HCA, the County of Riverside, the City, and State was pivotal in making this project happen."
Visit www.riversidecommunityhospital.com for routine updates about the expansion project and other healthcare news.
About Riverside Community Hospital:
Founded in 1901, Riverside Community Hospital (RCH) is a 373 licensed bed, full-service acute care hospital in the heart of the Inland Empire. With over 500 physicians on staff, representing over 200 specialties and over 1,700 employees, RCH is an Inland Empire leader in providing advanced, comprehensive health care to the Inland region. RCH houses the largest Emergency Room and Trauma Center in the Inland Empire at 50 beds. RCH is one of Riverside County’s only STEMI (heart attack) receiving centers and is a fully accredited Chest Pain Center. Centers of Excellence include the HeartCare Institute, offering invasive and non-invasive cardiac procedures, the Transplant Program and a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.