MUSC ready to make move
Effort compared to relocating a city
By Jill Coley
Effort compared to relocating a city
The Post and Courier
Barry Mathis, RN, loads supplies into the the Electrophysiology Implantation Device Lab inside the new Ashley River Tower at MUSC Specializing in Heart & Vascular Disease and Digestive Disease will open Monday.
If 2 1/2 years of planning go right, more than 60 patients will be transferred with military precision Monday morning from the old hospital to the spacious Ashley River Tower.
Medical University of South Carolina's newest facility, sheathed in a blue curtain of glass, will begin treating patients with cardiovascular and digestive diseases.
"It's similar to moving a city," said Dr. Mark DeLegge, medical director of MUSC's Digestive Disease Center. "Pharmacy, stocking meds, radiology, dietary, security has to all be integrated."
DeLegge joined other doctors, nurses and administrators Saturday to put the final touches in place. Staff stocked supply cabinets and labelled file drawers. Screen savers were loaded with pictures of babies and pets.
"Everybody's nesting," said Vicki Marsi, administrator for digestive disease services.
Vascular Center administrator Bill Spring will serve as incident commander during the patient transfer, which will be conducted as a mass casualty exercise.
A command center will be divided into planning, operations and logistics. "Your command structure is very militaristic," Spring said. The sickest patients will be moved with a nurse and supporting equipment.
Twelve ambulances will line up for duty. Public safety personnel will be posted at nearby intersections, and 150 radios will keep the teams on task. Traffic should not be affected, DeLegge said.
The 641,000-square-foot hospital is the largest building on the peninsula, Powers said. "I think it's a striking building and captures what MUSC wants to do."
The $275 million building is the first phase of the medical university's 20-year expansion that will break out other specialties and ultimately replace the teaching hospital.
The new hospital has 156 beds, 32 of which are intensive care, and nine operating rooms. The chest pain center, which focuses on diagnosis and treatment, will open Monday.
"It's (been) a steady stream of people walking back and forth from the old hospital for training," said Dr. Christopher Nielsen, director of cardiac catheterization labs.
Scheduled operations begin Tuesday, but the hospital also will be prepared for emergency surgeries, such as heart transplants.
MUSC's transplant program recently topped the national rankings by the University HealthSystem Consortium, a group of 97 academic medical centers. Programs were judged on mortality, clinical outcomes and patient length of stay.
Dr. Prabhakar Baliga, transplant program medical director, said that MUSC has one of the shortest waiting times for organs in the country.
Reach Jill Coley at 937-5719 or jcoley@postandcourier.com.
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jeg111 (anonymous) says...
Glad the hospital is opening. I hope it will serve cardio and digestive disease patients well, but it has got to be the UGLIEST building ever constructed in the Tri-County area.
February 3, 2008 at 6:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Mon_Kie (anonymous) says...
"Twelve ambulances will line up for duty. Public safety personnel will be posted at nearby intersections, and 150 radios will keep the teams on task. Traffic should not be affected, DeLegge said."
We shall se.....
February 3, 2008 at 8:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mplex (anonymous) says...
Conversely, I think the new hospital is the best looking building in town. Seriously, you think it's uglier than Sgt. Jasper? That's just ridiculous.
I love the modern design over the old brick buildings downtown and I hope it's the start of the 21st century for this city.
February 3, 2008 at 10:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Reader (anonymous) says...
That building is an eyesore. The whole concept of a VERY slightly curved building resembling a sail was a cliche fifteen years ago. This is hackwork. The execution is even poor. Look at the building as you drive over the Ashley River Bridge (or pretty much any point north of the building) and you see that the whole curve of the roof line is nothing but a nailed on fake wall along the edge of the building.
I'm the first one to say that modern design has a place in Charleston, but this is not an issue of modern vs. traditional. It is an issue of good vs. bad. And this was bad design.
February 3, 2008 at 10:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
clyoushaete (anonymous) says...
Coming from James Island, this building looks like it is sinking on one side! I forgot that it was part of the design. The city has had some nice modern buildings added to the skyline, but this is eyesore.
February 3, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
realman (anonymous) says...
The whole idea of the curve is to allow the nurses stations a broader view of patients rooms. The building is an absolutely gorgeous addition to the city's skyline. It is hurricane and earthquake PROOF, and was the subject of a National Geographic article.
It's a shame so many dinosaurs can't adapt to change. Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, however the majority of the beholders of this building agree that it is beautiful.
February 3, 2008 at 1:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
realman (anonymous) says...
But it's okay that people are expressing their negative opinions, since they opinions don't rate any kind of authority or influence anyway. Finally something good happens in Charleston, and the armchair architects are aroused from their lethargy. Thanks for your important, well-educated input.
February 3, 2008 at 1:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
carolinapanther (anonymous) says...
Well said realman! You will never be able to please everyone, it seems alot of people that post comments on these forums are very negative and show a lack of respect for their community leaders.
February 3, 2008 at 2:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
palmettoruckus (anonymous) says...
traffic will suck all day tomorrow, and it is an ugly building. stop beating someone for saying what they want.
February 3, 2008 at 5:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Reader (anonymous) says...
Realman wrote, "But it's okay that people are expressing their negative opinions, since they opinions don't rate any kind of authority or influence anyway. Finally something good happens in Charleston, and the armchair architects are aroused from their lethargy. Thanks for your important, well-educated input."
One could say precisely the same thing about your view. Charleston is one of the most engaged communities in the country on matters of architecture. Discussions about taste are very important here - a fact understood by those who are involved. How about dial down the snottiness a little, okay?
February 3, 2008 at 6:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mplex (anonymous) says...
Reader:
"How about dial down the snottiness a little, okay?"
"That building is an eyesore...a cliche...This is hackwork...bad design"
Who's being snotty, and what do you know about design? I'd say realman's comments are right on.
February 4, 2008 at 9:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Reader (anonymous) says...
I'm not suggesting that everything one posts has to be rainbows and unicorns. And I don't mind negative reviews. The problem is that Realman is attacking people who do not like the building without any basis on personal (as opposed to substantive) grounds. Sarcastic comments about detractors being irrelevant, without any educated basis for their opinions, and somehow otherwise unconcerned is snotty. A statement of one's personal opinion specifically about a matter of personal taste is not.
February 4, 2008 at 5:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
realman (anonymous) says...
Reader, you need to read your original post. In fact, it sounds like you need to read it twice. That was one of the more vicious, most obnoxious posts I've seen in a while.
A lot of people are very proud of the MUSC's new Ashley River Tower. It contains some of the most state-of-the-art medical equipment, and enhances Charleston's image immeasurably. I hope you just don't sit around all day and try to find the negative in everything. Charleston has something to celebrate! Now get a life!
February 4, 2008 at 6:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
realman (anonymous) says...
Reader said: "I'm not suggesting that everything one posts has to be rainbows and unicorns. And I don't mind negative reviews. The problem is that Realman is attacking people who do not like the building without any basis on personal (as opposed to substantive) grounds. Sarcastic comments about detractors being irrelevant, without any educated basis for their opinions, and somehow otherwise unconcerned is snotty. A statement of one's personal opinion specifically about a matter of personal taste is not."
That's really bad English. I hate to say that, but it was hard to make sense of all that. Simple language can be just as effective, especially when you are trying to make a point.
February 4, 2008 at 6:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Reader (anonymous) says...
First, Realman, is English really your native language?
I really do not care whether a lot of people are proud of the building. I am quite content to express my opinion which, it appears from the postings here, is shared by others.
Besides, you seem to be missing the point of the criticism. I have no opinion whatsoever about what medical equipment is housed in the building. My comment is that the building in which it is housed is ugly.
I certainly hope you do not sit around all day making excuses for things. Charleston has an uglier skyline to mourn. Now get a life!
February 4, 2008 at 9:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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