Jackson Park Hospital and Medical Center is in its final phase of renovations for its obstetrics and maternity departments. Construction is expected to be completed this summer.
The OB/maternity ward will include renovated patient rooms and OB patient rooms once construction is done by the end of June or mid July, according to hospital officials.
The hospital, located at 7531 S. Stony Island Ave., serves the Roseland, South Shore, Woodlawn and Avalon Park communities, which are included in its 13 territories divided by zip codes. Annually, Jackson Park Hospital has about 300 births, officials said. The hospital hopes to more than double that number to 805 births per year within five years of the renovations.
Phase 1 construction began in March 2011 and Phase 2 launched last January. To help raise funds for the last part of the project, the hospital is hosting a gala June 7.
In the earlier phases, the hospital got a new nursery. It was remodeled and upgraded with “state of the art equipment,” said Margo V. Brooks, vice president of development.
The OB unit was increased in size, by 4,200 sq. ft, making it now 12,540 sq. ft. Two labor delivery and recovery suites were added, as well as two triage rooms, a family waiting room and a nursing station. Renovation and remodeling of 11,430 square feet of existing patient rooms was also done.
The former OB/labor and delivery and nursery area was located in the original hospital building, which opened in 1920.
Now “there is a lovely post-partum environment for moms, newborns and families to bond, as well as the practice of family-centered living,” Brooks said.
All of the work that has been done so far was made possible through a grant by the Illinois Department of Public Health. It’s a part of the Hospital Capital Investment Program, which was approved by the General Assembly in 2009. Phase 1 cost $4.6 million, with a grant totaling $3.5 million. The total cost of phase 2 will be $4 million with a grant totaling $3.5 million. The goal of this project is to help improve the overall quality of healthcare in the community, Brooks said.
Gov. Pat Quinn announced $47 million in grants to help finance construction projections at 15 Chicago hospitals in August 2013. Jackson Park was one of the winners and received $3.5 million to renovate space for women’s health services.
“[We] wanted to improve our ability to continue to provide quality health care for our OB patients and their newborns. This [can] be accomplished by providing state of the art birthing suites, private bathrooms with showers and private post partum rooms with increased space,” the hospital administration said in a statement.
The 35th annual Gala Dinner Dance will be held June 7, with proceeds from tickets contributing to the final phase of the project. The funds will go toward renovation of patient rooms and OB patient rooms. The hospital hopes to sell between 350-400 tickets.
More information on the event can be found at JacksonParkHospital.org under the events section.
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