MercyOne Newton sees increased efficiency and quality of life after lab remodel

Additional workspace in the laboratory of MercyOne Newton Medical Center is a welcomed change and has made operations easier for both staff and patients this past month. With the extra square footage also comes better accessibility, increased privacy for patients and more leg room for the busy lab techs.

Sharon Finch, the laboratory manager, has worked at the hospital for about five years and is beyond thrilled with the renovation, which was long overdue. The facility had not been touched for decades. The laboratory was launched in 1993, and since the renovation Finch has a huge difference in operations.

“The biggest thing is the patients can come right in from registration,” Finch said. “They don’t have to walk around the corner. If they’ve forgotten to register we can just say, ‘OK, just come right out the door, we’ll get you registered and get you taken care of,’ instead of having them go all the back.”

Which is particularly convenient for the hospital’s geriatric populations and those with mobility issues. The bigger space also leaves fewer people feeling cramped or feel like they are sitting on top of each other. With the extra seating and even a couch near the entrance, there should be plenty of places to wait comfortably.

Two draw rooms means staff can take care of two patients at once. The old draw room also lacked privacy, making every conversation or screaming child heard by nearly everybody in the office. These new rooms are certainly more muffled, but the occasional unhappy kiddo may still be heard by other guests.

Regardless, the renovation is a step up from the former space. Finch said the facility upgrade also means an increase in efficiency for blood draws and other tests. Most of the tests can be completed on-site with the several scientists that work in the laboratory 24 hours, seven days a week.

“We’ve always had 24/7 services for our community,” she said. “We used to be in a different building, but now that we’re back in this building we can take care of our patients very quickly, very efficiently. It’s better now, and it’s better because we have the space. It’s nicer, too. And it’s about time!”

Chad Kelley, director of operations at MercyOne Newton, said the renovation project began in March with the demolition. After four months it was fully completed. The project was divided into two phases: the main entrance change to allow better flow of patients and the back lab storage area extension.

The purpose of the renovation dates back to the challenges staff faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kelley said. The existing lab space at that time measured 2,530 square feet, and the waiting area was particularly small. Which became challenging when trying to maintain safety precautions, Kelley said.

“We really had minimal options with social distancing within the waiting area,” he said. “There were concerns with people having to navigate inside the hospital corridors. Of course exposure time in the hospital …The whole purpose started in the idea of making this a more functional space to treat patients safely.”

MercyOne Newton utilized a number of grant opportunities available through the American Rescue Plan Act and the Iowa Department of Public Health to perform minor alterations to the lab. The hospital also secured a COVID mitigation grant from the United States Department of Agriculture.

“We identified a couple grants that were specific to what we really needed: changing the flow of patients, adding extra rooms so that we could alternate testing, a much larger waiting room so that we could socially distance appropriately and then move the entrance up to the main hospital,” Kelley said.

Altogether, the project cost almost $500,000 and added about 1,800 square feet of additional space.

Before the pandemic the outpatient lab volumes were approximately 28,000 visits a year. After the first year of the pandemic the lab’s volumes rose to 35,000. It was unprecedented growth, and the lab’s small space was not helping matters. Luckily, the hospital identified and responded to those infrastructure restrictions

From fiscal year 2021 to fiscal year 2022, the lab’s volumes increased again to 40,000. So trends show the volumes keep increasing, solidifying the need for an expanded lab. Kelley said that alone was a big driver for upgrading the almost 30-year-old space. As Finch said, it was about time.

Kelley said, “Hopefully the patient experience is improved. They will hopefully feel more safe going into the waiting area. Patient privacy is also enhanced through this renovation as well. With more space, more privacy and a closer entry it will overall improve patient experience.”

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com