AMC Awarded $1 Million HEAL NY Grant

November 26th, 2006
     SARANAC LAKE -  Adirondack Medical Center (AMC) has received $1 million in grant funding under the state's Healthcare Efficiency and Affordability Law for New Yorkers (HEAL NY) Phase 2.
     AMC was one of 53 facilities statewide to win a share of the $268 million total in grant funding announced on Friday.
     The awards are for capital projects aimed at reconfiguring and rightsizing inpatient space in favor of improved hospital-based ambulatory and outpatient care and less restrictive long-term care services, such as adult day health care and assisted living.
     AMC is currently in the midst of an ambitious renovation and construction project as part of plans to purchase Uihlein Mercy Center in Lake Placid and Mercy Healthcare Center in Tupper Lake. At Mercy, several rooms will be converted from semi-private to private. Currently, 37 percent of the resident rooms are private, while 63 percent are semi-private. Following renovation, 54 percent will be private, while 46 percent will be semi-private. The increase in private rooms is supported by a recommendation by the American Institute of Architect guidelines urging private rooms become the standard in new hospital construction - a standard that translates similarly in a nursing home environment. Increasing evidence suggests that private rooms lessen the chance for medical errors, reduce infection rates, and reduce stress.
     To meet this standard with private rooms, the number of beds at Mercy will be reduced from 80 to 60. The reduction in rooms will not result in residents having to leave the nursing home, but rather bring the actual number of residents and the number of rooms into alignment.
     Other plans at Mercy include the creation of a ten-bed inpatient rehabilitation center, a sub-acute rehab area, outpatient rehabilitation center, three renal dialysis stations, and improvements to the Activities for Daily Living Unit, the chapel, storage and office space.
     "The good news continues to roll in for AMC, and this latest announcement builds upon our efforts to ensure access to long-term care and quality health care remain firmly established in the community for many years to come," said Chandler Ralph, CEO/President of AMC.
     AMC continues to move forward with plans to invest $5.3 million in renovations and construction, with the $1.8 million purchase of Mercy and Uihlein to be finalized Jan. 1, 2007.  The renovation and construction will be achieved in part by the HEAL NY grant, and an ongoing $1.8 million fundraising campaign.
     Following the anticipated issuance of building permits in March 2007, and ensuing bidding process, it is expected that project work could begin as early as mid-May 2007. The construction and renovation project is expected to take about one year to complete.
The overall project at Mercy will add 7,100-square-feet of new space, and result in the renovation of 23,000-square-feet of space.

	AMC is accredited by the Joint Commission. Click here to view the Joint Commission Public Notice.
	AMC is accredited by the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program.
	Adirondack Medical Center's Bariatric Program and Dr. Michael Hill have been designated as a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery.