Community Hospital announced it will begin work this month on a major expansion project designed to enhance perioperative services and surgical capabilities.

According to its Feb. 23 news release, this initiative will significantly increase Community Hospital’s ability to care for surgical patients before and after procedures, while supporting advanced surgical techniques and multidisciplinary care.

The project is expected to span 11 months, with completion anticipated February 2027.

The 12,400-square-foot expansion includes the modernization and expansion of the surgical department and the sterile-processing department.

With the addition of two new operating rooms, Community Hospital’s surgical department will be expanded to better accommodate increased procedural volume and complexity, the news release said. The surgical department will continue to operate under a team-based-care model led by surgeons and anesthesiologists and supported by perioperative nurses, surgical technologists and ancillary staff.

The new sterile-processing department will feature a new, state-of-the-art sterile-processing area that can support up to 10 operating rooms. Surgical care at Community Hospital remains focused on delivering high-quality surgical services in a sterile environment optimized for safety, efficiency and precision, the news release said.

“As a critical service line, our surgical services department plays a vital role in meeting procedural demand, and this expansion will help maintain the highest standards of infection prevention and operational throughput,” said Joe Gerardi, chief operating officer/chief nursing officer for Community Hospital. “Included in the expansion is our pre-operative and perianesthesia care unit as well as upgraded state-of-the-art equipment throughout our surgical suites. We remain committed to delivering high-quality, patient-centered surgical care, and we look forward to the positive impact this expansion will have on our community.”

Designed by Boulder Associates Architects, the new layout features a unidirectional flow to minimize patient-transport time and improve case-turnover efficiency. The space was planned to align with the highest standards for infection-prevention principles and provide flexibility for future growth.

Key design drivers included market demand, surgical-case mix and long-term-growth projections, the news release said. The expansion is planned to avoid service duplication while maximizing throughput and recovery efficiency.