CHOC Proceeds With New Patient Tower

Yes, it’s official. CHOC has entered the latest phase of a facility-wide renovation and expansion program to meet the growing demands of the Orange County pediatric population.

In April, the CHOC Board of Directors approved plans to move forward with a new patient tower. The initial designs will be ready for review by September 2007, with the first phase of the new patient tower scheduled to open in 2012 with 60 new ICU beds. Additional beds and patient care services will be added in phases through 2020.

When the dust finally settles, CHOC will have a total capacity of 404 patient beds.

BUILDING ON A HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE
Since opening doors with 62 beds in 1964, CHOC has become the regional pediatric healthcare system and safety net for families across Southern California. This latest expansion is vital to the hospital’s goal of becoming increasingly recognized as one of the premier children’s hospitals in the nation.

“Since 1998, demand for CHOC services has almost doubled,” says Debra Mathias, CHOC Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, who points out CHOC physicians, nurses and support staff will continue to be involved in every aspect of designing the new tower. “We are passionate about providing the safest, most advanced care for infants, children and teens. Automation and technology are being incorporated into the design, so that CHOC may provide leading-edge care in the most technologically advanced facility.”

The design also encompasses the CHOC focus on family-centered care. There will be open, colorful spaces, including outdoor gardens and a café. Family areas will include space for work, study, play, quiet reflection, meditation and prayer.

As these exciting plans progress, CHOC will keep you informed. Additionally, a hotline has been established to immediately address physician suggestions and concerns.

If you have any questions, please contact the CHOC Expansion Hotline at 714-532-8710.