Terrebonne General Medical Center (TGMC) offered sneak previews of the new women’s center. “Before the facility was open to serve patients we wanted to allow the opportunity for our team of health care professionals as well as past and future board members who made this project possible to view the new state-of-the-art facility,” said Phyllis Peoples, President and Chief Executive Officer.
The Women’s Center broke ground and began construction in March of 2004. Total building cost was $15.9 million and equipment cost totals $ 5 million.
The Women’s Center will soon be able to provide comprehensive health care services for women of all ages and at all stages of their lives. “We are so proud to step into the future by offering a progressive facility to women within our community,” explained Mrs. Peoples. The culture is our community promotes extended family involvement and this is especially true when there is a birth. At the women’s center the goal is to make each and every patient and visitor feel comfortable and welcomed in our new facility. The new obstetrical section of the Women’s Center will offer larger, private patient rooms to enhance the birthing experience, a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), well baby nursery, and lactation services.
Over the last few years the women’s services department has outgrown its current space because of both childbirth deliveries and the number of female patients that are provided services. In order to meet the needs of the women in this area a facility of this size was absolutely necessary.
The current obstetrical space consists of a facility, which was built in 1984 that is able to handle 1,000 births annually. The new center will be capable of handling many more births annually. In the new Center, every patient will have their own spacious private room and bathroom along with sleeping accommodations for a guest. The rooms also feature large windows, which provide a lot of natural light that research shows to aid in the recovery process.
The current team of 15 ob/gyn physicians, 2 maternal fetal medicine physicians, 2 neonatologists and 12 pediatricians will make the transition to the new facility, along with TGMC’s highly specialized team of women’s services nurses. TGMC is the only hospital in the region to have a board certified neonatoligist on staff 24-7. The new center will expand the current Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) that is equipped for infants who have a high acuity, weigh as little as 2.2 pounds and for those infants who may require ventilator support. It is increasing from being able to handle 6 infants to handling 8 infants.
“The center will offer a major expansion to our current space,” noted Mrs. Peoples. “We are going from total square footage of 23,000 square feet to a 85,000 square foot facility. The Center will provide adequate space for the other needs related to women that include female gynecological surgery, in which the center will offer personalized and intimate care along with state-of-the-art technology that includes surgical suites for same-day surgeries and procedures, the latest diagnostic equipment including digital mammography and bone densitometry. Currently women’s services patient room are shared with the other patient population. The new facility will offer 14 private gynecological rooms, 5 of which have courtyards.
Over the past several years, women’s health care has evolved with the changing role of women. Today’s woman is involved in the health care decision making for herself and her family. The Women’s Center is not only equipped to provide clinical services, it also offers comprehensive educational resources for women across their lifespan in a resource library and through programs and classes.
Many hospitals in our country have made changes in the way in which women’s services are provided. At TGMC we see ourselves as an innovator by placing women’s health care needs on the forefront of our growth so that the women of our community will have a highly trained, friendly, competent, caring staff who will provide excellent care in beautiful, soothing surroundings right here in Houma.
The first phase will include transitioning obstetrical services into the new facility in the very near future with the other comprehensive women’s services scheduled to be transitioned by the summer of this year.