Applications

Construct an inpatient bed tower and certification of 9 Intensive Care Beds and 35 Medical/surgical beds. Perform renovations to expand and modernize the emergency department. 

The CTAAB members have recommend approval of the application based on the following considerations:

·        Modernizing SMH’s current space along with adding the capacity will allow SMH to continue to meet the growing demands and needs of the community.

·        Based on projections in the staff analysis, SMH should be able to accommodate growing demand and/or surge cases in the future.

·        Current CTAAB review criteria make it difficult to assess restraints on capacity with regard to staffing, which has become a significant issue, locally and national

Perform renovations at an outpatient extension clinic to include the addition of an MRI room and holding area.  The facility currently maintains emergency COVID-19 surge approval for a mobile MRI and this application is looking to add a permanent incremental MRI machine.  

The CTAAB members have recommend approval of the application based on the following considerations:

·       While capacity data do not suggest the addition of an MRI is warranted, access to high-quality patient care takes precedent. 

·       There was demonstrated institutional need for additional capacity at this location

·       Other local MRI machines were unable to conduct specialty MRI such as, pacemaker dependent MR, Complex cardiac MR and other specialty MR which were noted to be driving the current demand.

Cornerstone Eye Surgery Center proposes to operate a freestanding ambulatory surgery center provided single-specialty surgeryin the discipline of Opthalmology. This application was previously reviewed by CTAAB in 2018. The purpose of this review will be to determine if a change in CTAAB's recommendations is warranted.

The CTAAB members have recommend approval of the application based on the following considerations:

·       Hospital systems are limiting outpatient services due to the COVID-19 pandemic and staffing constraints

·       Outpatient procedures are experiencing an influx due to the easing of pandemic restrictions resulting in long wait times and unsatisfied patient needs

·       Current CTAAB review criteria make it difficult to assess restraints on capacity with regard to staffing, which has become a significant issue, locally and nationally

·       There is significant uncertainty to what healthcare needs will be as the system reacts to consistently changing rules and challenges related to the pandemic.

The CTAAB members have recommend approval of the application based on the following considerations:

•Nationally, there is increasing evidence of the importance of inpatient rehabilitation before discharging patients who received complex care.

•Locally, there is evidence of annual growth in the number of patients receiving this level of care, as well as, an increase in their average length of stay.

•An increase of 11 private beds represents a 55% increase in availability for Strong whose current capacity is 20 Inpatient Rehab beds. 

Strong Memorial Hospital Renovate an existing office suite to serve as inpatient and outpatient imaging services and imaging support spaces, including use of CT, X-Ray and a new MRI machine.  

The CTAAB members have recommend approval of the application based on the following considerations:

• While data do not suggest the addition of an MRI is warranted, access to high-quality patient care takes precedent.  The addition of the MRI may improve patient outcomes.
• Providing access to new technical and advanced surgery techniques will benefit the community at large. 
• The addition of the MRI will decrease the need for nightshift MRI scans, which could positively impact night shift staffing.

Certify 57 medical/surgical beds (for a new certified total of 97 bed) at the St. Mary's Campus, 89 Genesee St, Rochester, NY 14611, which will operate as a Long Term Acute Care Hospital (LTACH), and change the name of the Division to Unity Specialty Hospital. 

Based on information available, CTAAB concluded there is a need for the proposed LTACH

• Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increasing trend of long-term care acute care patients within the inpatient setting of the hospital
• Currently, the closest LTACH is located 162 miles away, out of state in Pennsylvania
• An LTACH has the potential to better serve patients needing longer, more complex care without stressing current acute care hospital capacity

Strong Memorial Hospital proposes to certify and construct a new single specialty (orthopedic) ambulatory surgery center extension and an extension clinic to provide imaging and physical therapy services to be located at Miracle Mile Drive, Rochester, NY.

Based on information available, CTAAB concluded need for the proposed addition based on the following considerations and contingency:

•  There is a continuing shift of procedures from inpatient to outpatient both locally and nationally.

•  Current projections anticipate an increasing need for additional ambulatory surgical space.

• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, patterns of care have shifted dramatically.  The long-term ramifications of the pandemic are unclear, as are its impact on need predictions.  As such, staff respectively request the applicant return at the time of opening (anticipated 2022) to provide an update to the board on the opening and closing of other ambulatory surgery rooms.  

Highland Hospital proposes the construction of a four (4) story tower addition on top of the three-story southeast wing, to add additional private medical/surgical beds with no change to total certified beds.  

Based on the information available, CTAAB concluded that there is a need for the proposed addition.

• Highland demonstrates a need to modernize facilities as the current infrastructure was designed over 90 years ago.
• There is no change in capacity to the hospital or community for inpatient or outpatient services.
• Shift of services from double to single occupancy rooms may allow for higher occupancy rates, potentially reducing need for future bed expansions.

Based on the information available, CTAAB recommends the approval of the application based on the following considerations:

• Non-hospital based MRI availability may help reduce financial burden for patients.
• Patients currently traveling to Clifton Springs Hospital and Newark-Wayne Community Hospital for MRI services may instead be diverted to Finger Lakes Bone and Joint, alleviating some travel burden on patients.
• The MRI devices that are currently operating near capacity in the central Finger Lakes region could experience some reflief with the approval of participating provider status.

FF Thompson proposes to convert five Medical/Surgical beds to five Intensive Care beds and perform renovations to create a new 12-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on the first floor and an outpatient pulmonary clinic on the ground floor of the hospital.

CTAAB concluded that there is a need for the proposed ICU expansion.

• There is demonstrated community need for the addition of ICU capacity.
• There appears to be the potential for continued growth for need of ICU services based on historical projections.
• Patients currently traveling to Rochester from Ontario and other rural counties may be diverted to F.F. Thompson, alleviating some travel burden on patients.