East Addition
Second Floor: The Yavapai Med/Surg Unit was turned over to VVMC (owner) by HBE (general contractor) on July 18. Currently, general cleaning, including floor finishing, is taking place, as well as installation and placement of equipment, furnishings, and other items to prepare for Department of Health Services (DHS) licensing and ultimately, patient occupancy.

First Floor: The punch list for the Medical Imaging department has been completed, and final details are being addressed. The new Siemens MRI arrived and was set on July 7. During the following week Garvin Shielding Service from Pittsburg completed the copper lining of the suite. Siemens crews have been busy with installation and calibration of the magnet and equipment. Also recently arriving on site was the digital radiographic (DR) unit which has been installed.

Starting this week, Comp-Ray, Inc, will be on site to begin the process of moving some of the Medical Imaging equipment from its current location within VVMC to the new location on the first floor of the east tower.

The mobile CT unit will be arriving this week to provide continued patient services throughout the relocation of VVMC's existing CT. VVMC has requested the licensing survey from DHS be conducted Aug. 26, 27, or 28. Upon receiving a positive initial survey, the Medical Imaging department may start providing services to patients in the new location. At that time, approximately 80 percent of the total imaging equipment will be installed and ready for use. The remaining 20 percent will stay in the existing department to support patient use.

Finally, all equipment calibrations will take place, and required protective shielding will be verified by a physicist. These approvals will determine final patient occupancy and opening date for the second floor.

North Addition
Great progress is being made on the first floor 20-bed unit. The final punch is scheduled for the week of Aug. 18 with turnover to owner scheduled to follow in mid-September. Patient occupancy of the east addition will vacate the existing Imaging department. Crews are eager to commence demolition work on this area to begin reconstruction for the Emergency department expansion. The anticipated start date for this project is Monday, Sept. 8.

With the addition phase (Phase I) of the project nearing completion, the renovation phase (Phase II) soon will begin.

Internal
The corridor to the Mingus Unit will be closed on Tuesday, Aug. 5, and will reopen again on Friday, Aug. 8. This closure is necessary to complete the second floor tie-in to the two-level north addition. As during the previous closure to accommodate the tie-in to the four-level east addition, volunteers will be stationed near the Inpatient lobby to provide directions to the first floor and back to the Mingus Unit via the elevators located near the Medical Imaging department. Signage also will be posted with appropriate directions.

On Monday, Aug. 11, the construction for the first floor tie-in to the north addition will begin. This will require a dust/construction barrier in the existing corridor near the Volunteer Services Office and ED Conference Room. The barrier will narrow this section of the corridor by approximately 20 inches for a period of three weeks.

You probably have noticed the sheet rock facing the Inpatient Services entrance, behind which is the new corridor of the east addition. Watch for the sheet rock to be removed and the new corridor revealed in late August.

We apologize to our patients and visitors for the inconvenience due to construction as we expand to meet growing community healthcare needs.