Surgical Center Set to Open
By Wally Kennedy - Joplin Globe Staff Writer
May 18, 2010
JOPLIN, Mo. - Freeman Surgical Center, developed by a group of local physicians in partnership with Freeman Health System and Nueterra Healthcare, will open June 1.
The $5 million center at 811 W. 34th St. will add four outpatient operating rooms to the existing mix of operating rooms on the Freeman Hospital West campus.
Phil Willcoxon, vice president of administration for Freeman Health System, said Monday: "This will be a one-stop surgery center with state-of-the-art equipment that will help ease bottleneck and capacity issues at the main hospital."
The 17,500-square-foot center, constructed by Crossland Construction Co., Columbus, Kan., will be able to handle 30 to 40 cases per day, depending on the procedure and specialty mix.
Specialists in areas such as ear, nose and throat, gynecology, hand surgery, orthopaedics, pain management and general surgery plan to use the center for minimally-invasive outpatient surgeries now handled at Freeman East.
Willcoxon said an objective of the project is to get all operating rooms used by Freeman physicians on one campus for improved efficiency. The main hospital has eight operating rooms; obstetrics has two operating rooms; and the heart center has three operating rooms.
In addition to the four operating rooms, the new center has nine pre-operation bays and an equal number of post-operative bays. The center also has the ability to be expanded.
Dr. Kent McIntire, a member of the center's board of directors, in a prepared statement, said, "I am excited to be a part of this new venture of our local physicians, Freeman and Nueterra to provide our community this innovative, convenient and patient-centered facility. I look forward to performing ear, nose and throat procedures here."
Nueterra, a development and management company based in Leawood, Kan., is responsible for the construction and design of the center, and will manage it. The company also is responsible for staff training.
Nueterra owns and manages more than 90 surgical and outpatient centers in 27 states.
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