Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital Shows Off Improvements

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital isn't a new facility by any stretch of the imagination, but renovations and improvements could easily have visitors and patients at the busy Westchester hospital mistaking areas of the campus as brand new.

On Tuesday, the hospital unveiled an expanded and reconfigured ER, a renovated and upgraded Radiology Department and a newly constructed Montefiore Medical Group Health Center on the campus. The $44.3 million campus project was funded entirely by the Capital Restructuring Financing Program (CRFP) awarded by New York State. The renovation work has improved both the looks and the quality of the hospital that New York's sixth largest city depends on.

“These state-of-the-art facilities at Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital will help us deliver on our mission of providing innovative healthcare from world class leaders, while advancing health equity and access in this community,” Montefiore CEO Philip O. Ozuah said in a statement touting the completed project.

The hospital has one of the busiest ERs in lower Westchester County. The Emergency Department now features a new lobby, a renovated registration and waiting area. The reconfigured ER now has eight private observation rooms, a trauma treatment area and four private patient rooms (including a dedicated private OB/GYN room). The ER, which now totals 14,000 square feet, now has 21 private patient bays for pediatric and adult patients, a dedicated private Behavioral Health treatment area and a separate, dedicated results waiting area.

The ER renovation work was completed in two phases to avoid disruptions to patients.

The newly renovated Radiology Suite features a state-of-the-art 1.5 short bore MRI as well as a 64- and 16-slice CT scanner. Hospital officials said the new equipment will lead to quicker turnaround time on imaging results, which are key to determining clinical treatment protocols for patients. The suite can now be accessed from the ER lobby, potentially reducing the number of people in the ER waiting area and offering more privacy in both locations.

The 25,000-square-foot MMG Health Center is the end result of a total "to the bones" renovation of the former Montefiore New Rochelle Clinic on the hospital campus. The renovations, which were completed in phases, officially opened to the community last month.

“What we have unveiled here today was five years in the making and is focused completely on serving the diverse medical needs of New Rochelle residents and those in our surrounding communities,” VP and Executive Director of Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital Tony Alfano said. “New York State recognized our role in providing and sustaining essential health services to our community. This project is an exemplary reflection of the New York State Health Department’s goals with respect to healthcare accessibility as it will preserve and significantly expand primary and specialty care capacity and expand Emergency and Radiology services and availability throughout the communities we serve.”