HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981 12-22 Hospital to build center in suburbs DISPATCH Hospital to build
center in suburbs
St. John's Hospital Monday an- would have fewer beds than the
N nounced plans to build an outpa- 346 St. John's currently has. A
tient-emergency center and phy- new hospital would not be
sicians' office building in Maple- ripened until at least 1985, a
wood. spokesman said.
The plans are the first phase
Currently, half of the hospi-
of the hospital's eventual move tal's patients are from St. Paul's
to the suburb this decade. northern suburbs. The hospital
Services at the $4 million cen- forecasts more of its patients
ter, which needs Metropolitan will come from that area as it
Health Board approval before it expands.
can be constructed, would in-
clude emergency care, outpa- The hospital board is consider-
tient surgery, sports medicine, ing several uses, including senior
neurological testing, laborator- citizen housing, for the present
ies, a pharmacy and X-raying. hospital building.
The $3 million office building There now are only two outpa-
does not need board approval. It tient surgery centers in the state:,
would have space for 20 to 30 Other hospitals have opposed
doctors. such centers in which minor sur-
The hospital, now at 403 Maria gery is performed without hav-
Ave., plans to build a new hospi- ing to hospitalize a patient. Ger-
tal next to the center and office aid McMarthy, president of the
building on a 31-acre site just corporation which runs the hos-
west of Maplewood Mall at pital, said St. John's already pro-
White Bear Avenue and Inter- vides such service to many pa-
state 694. The new hospital tients.