Capital Medical Center on Olympia’s west side is undergoing a $16.3 million expansion and renovation of its surgical department to better serve patients. When the project is completed in the summer of 2017, the medical center will have five brand-new, state-of-the-art surgical suites and two completely remodeled suites.
The new operating suites will be larger to accommodate the array of medical equipment and technology used during surgeries. Physicians and staff will also have more space to work when doing procedures that require different positioning, such as hip replacements.
Capital Medical has already installed new technology in anticipation of its expansion and remodel. An example is the Mazor Robotics Renaissance. This robotic-guided spine surgery system allows orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons to plan the optimal surgery in a CT-based 3-D simulation of a patient’s spine. During surgery, Renaissance guides the surgeon’s hand and tools to the precise planned location.
Renaissance has been clinically validated to ensure accuracy of up to 1.5 mm for increased patient safety. Compared with freehand spine surgery, this translates to the best possible clinical results for patients, with less use of fluoroscopy. Minimally invasive surgery can mean smaller incisions, shorter hospitalizations, less pain and faster recovery for patients. Capital Medical Center is currently the only hospital in Washington offering robotic-guided spine surgery.
Capital’s expansion project will expand the footprint of the medical center by approximately 10,000 square feet. As part of the renovation, pre-op and recovery areas will also be improved to provide greater comfort for patients. A larger and more accessible waiting area for family and friends will be created, and behind-the-scenes spaces, including the sterilization room and locker rooms, will be made more functional.
In a sign of the hospital’s excellence in joint replacement and spine surgery, The Joint Commission, the nation’s leading health care accreditation organization, has awarded its Gold Seal of Approval—one of the first in the state—to Capital’s Joint & Spine Center. This means its programs have undergone rigorous clinical review, and that patients can expect a high level of care when undergoing these surgical procedures.
LEAH GROUT
Capital Medical Center
3900 Capital Mall Dr SW, Olympia
360.754.5858
capitalmedical.com