Those entering Kosciusko Community Hospital will notice renovations ongoing throughout the next couple of years.
But the staff at KCH say the quality of service for patients will improve as renovations take place.
The biggest change to take place at KCH will be a shift to private rooms for patients.
"It's going to help with patient privacy," said Siobhan Davenport, KCH's division director of facilities.
Davenport also noted that when there are private rooms rather than patients sharing a room, the risk of infections decreases.
Joan Darr, chief operating officer and chief nursing officer at KCH, explained the renovations will take place in three phases and comes with a price tag of around $19 million.
Phase one will introduce a new intensive care unit and progressive care unit that will be finished by the end of this year.
In 2011, the third floor will be renovated to make for private rooms.
Currently, the hospital has a capacity of 72 beds.
And while all rooms will become private, Davenport said the capacity will remain the same because gender concerns and patient needs will no longer have to be factored in when pairing up patients in a room.
In 2012, the fourth floor will be renovated in the final phase of the project.
Offices will be relocated to the third floor as well.
When the renovations near completion, the hospital will host an open house for members of the community to see the progress that has been made.
So what was the impetus behind the renovations?
"Really, it comes from patient surveys along with physicians' input and input from our staff," said Darr. "We're trying to give patients more privacy and it allows patients to meet with them in a private room."
Darr also pointed out that private rooms make it more comfortable for patients' families.
KCH was built in 1976, and while it remains a modern facility, the rooms can't accommodate the way they did nearly 35 years ago.
Darr said with newer equipment the need for more space per patient was needed.
The new emergency room was built in 2005.
Darr said the renovations were looked at from every angle to see what the best option was.The idea for the new renovations came from monthly physician meetings where improvement of patient care is discussed.
Wiegand Construction in Fort Wayne is working on the project while MSKTD is the architect. MSKTD is based out of Indianapolis with an office in Fort Wayne.
Funding of the $19 million project comes from the hospital's Capital Project Fund, and KCH received no federal money for the project.
