In June, White Plains Hospital’s sleek, new Center for Advanced Medicine & Surgery (CAMS) opened, bringing together outpatient services with many of the hospital’s top specialists. Recently, Frances Bordoni — the hospital’s senior vice president of ambulatory and physician services and business development — took time to answer some of our questions about the new space and how it fits into the scheme of the hospital’s development:
Patients are discovering that some of their doctors have moved to the new center and some have not. What was the thinking behind which disciplines would go into the building?
“The new Center for Advanced Medicine & Surgery (CAMS) was designed to expand our outpatient services and top specialists under one roof. The center features ambulatory surgery with same-day procedures, endoscopy suites, wound care delivered through hyperbaric chambers and cutting-edge imaging, including the first and only PET (Positron Emission Tomography) MRI scan in Westchester. (See sidebar.)
“It is also home to our specialty physician and surgical practices, including orthopedics; urology; pain management; ear, nose and throat; thyroid; colorectal; vascular; plastic; and bariatric care; as well as a comprehensive new heart and vascular program. At White Plains Hospital, our focus is on multidisciplinary care for the best possible patient outcomes. With many of our specialists in the same building, this fosters communication and collaboration when caring for our patients. For instance, our Wound Care Center is right across the hall from the offices of our surgical specialists, who can easily consult wound specialists and follow up on one of their surgical patients who is there for treatment.”
How much did the center cost and where did the money come from?
“The new Center for Advanced Medicine & Surgery had been in the works for many years. Our patient population has grown substantially over the past decade and we spent years planning different iterations of this building to ensure that we had the space and resources to continue to grow and advance the services we provide to our community. Funding for this approximately $270 million building came from loans as well as commitments from generous hospital supporters.”
The center is hotel-sleek. Who served as architect and interior designer? What was the design inspiration?
“The project’s architect and lead designer was Perkins-Eastman. They worked closely with our internal team to create a space that is truly special for our patients. We wanted this building to have a look and feel that was similar to the rest of the hospital campus, but with a new energy to help evolve the aesthetic. Each floor was designed with our patients and clinicians in mind but has its own distinct look, with interesting color palates to evolve the design while keeping the feel of a warm and healing environment. We know a medical visit can be stressful for patients and want to provide a warm, welcoming and calming atmosphere. There is tremendous thought and focus that goes into each aspect of the design in this building, and we view it as an extension of our brand and want patients to walk in and feel that they are in the right place. So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Speaking of stress, we may note here that parking in White Plains continues to be something of a challenge. The garage across from the center is often full and narrow to navigate. And valet parking at the hospital is $5. What can be done to ameliorate these?
“As we continue to expand and transform our campus, parking is always a consideration, especially given the location of our facilities in the middle of a busy city. The Center for Advanced Medicine & Surgery offers several convenient parking options. Patients can turn off Maple Avenue and drive underneath the building directly to the front entrance where they are met by a valet staff who will park their car for a small fee. We also offer self-parking in the Longview Parking Garage, which is a city-owned garage located across the street from the new center. We have constructed a walking bridge that connects the Longview Parking Garage to the second floor of the Center for Advanced Medicine & Surgery to provide easy access to our new center.”
The Center for Advanced Medicine & Surgery (CAMS) is the latest phase in White Plains Hospital’s transformation. What were the previous phases and what’s up next?
“At White Plains Hospital, our mission is to provide our community with exceptional care, close to home. As a member of the Montefiore Health System, we serve as the tertiary hub for advanced care in the Hudson Valley and have aggressively expanded over the past seven years to provide our patients with access to top physicians across a broad range of specialties and have invested in state-of-the-art equipment and technology to enhance the patient experience and offer the latest treatments available. Since 2014, we have added or renovated nearly 900,000 square feet to our campus, including a new lobby and patient tower, an expanded Center for Cancer Care, renovated private patient rooms and waiting areas, a new Family Health Center, a redesigned emergency department, an off-campus ambulatory surgery center, and the new Center for Advanced Medicine & Surgery outpatient facility.
“Later this year, we will begin offering cardiac surgery at White Plains Hospital, in partnership with Montefiore’s internationally renowned heart surgeons. Currently, almost 80% of patients who need heart surgery leave Westchester County and this program will allow them to get the life-saving care they need right here in White Plains. Additionally, we will soon be constructing an advanced pediatric center featuring an innovative model of care that co-locates a dedicated emergency department and inpatient rooms made especially for children. This pediatric center will be the only one of its kind in New York state and will feature enhanced amenities for patients and families when it opens next year.”
For more, visit wphospital.org.
