Administrators hope the building will bring in doctors, patients and money to the struggling Tarpon Springs hospital.
By CANDACE RONDEAUX
Published August 20, 2003
TARPON SPRINGS - Before University Community Hospital took over Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital three years ago, the facility was on the verge of financial ruin.
Since the takeover, the Tarpon Springs hospital has added several new services aimed at attracting new business and putting its books back in the black. But few of those changes rival Helen Ellis Memorial's latest venture.
Helen Ellis Memorial administrators said Tuesday they plan to build a new multimillion-dollar, four-story medical facility next to the hospital's main building within the next two years.
The roughly 60,000-square-foot building will provide office space for some of the 350 physicians already affiliated with the hospital. But the hope is it will also attract new physicians to the area, said Helen Ellis' new chief executive Steven MacLauchlan. Doctors will be able to lease or buy office space in the buildings, he said.
"One of the important things for us was to give physicians options," MacLauchlan said. "Some doctors want to lease, some want to buy. At the end of the day, real estate tends to hold its value. I think doctors, like most people, want to invest in something that's going to maintain its value."
Construction could begin by early 2004. Hospital spokesman Jerry Touchton estimated it could take 14 to 18 months to build the facility, which will include a covered walkway connecting to the hospital's main building.
"The idea is to make it a first-class facility for physicians," Touchton said. "If a doctor orders an MRI or some kind of test, it will be very easy for the patient to traverse and not have to go outside to get to testing facilities. It will be a very convenient and user-friendly medical facility for people in the Tarpon Springs area."
Many of the details for the planned building are still up in the air. Although hospital officials selected Tampa-based Robbins, Bell & Kreher Architects Inc. to design the facility, they are still in the process of choosing a developer for the project, Touchton said.
It could take several more weeks for hospital administrators to ink a deal with a developer. Touchton said estimates on the cost of the project are not yet available. But he said the developer would be responsible for financing the project and leasing office space to interested physicians. Ownership of the building would eventually revert back to the hospital, Touchton said.
The hospital must also gain the city's approval before moving forward with construction. Tarpon Springs' planning and zoning board is scheduled to review Helen Ellis Memorial's site plan for the space on Sept. 15.
Despite those hurdles, hospital officials are confident the facility will be a success. Administrators hope the new building will attract new physicians and new patients, bringing in a much needed infusion of cash.
"When you get space for more physicians, then that means an increased volume of patients," he said. "That helps the bottom line."
The hospital has struggled financially for years, reporting losses of nearly $7-million in 2000 and $3-million in 2001.
UCH officials say Helen Ellis Memorial could be on the road to financial recovery soon, but say skyrocketing medical costs have made it difficult to achieve profitability.
In an effort to boost revenue, the 168-bed hospital has upgraded its services since Tampa-based UCH's takeover in 2000. In addition to expanded emergency room services, Helen Ellis Memorial has added several new specialties, including new treatments for prostate cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. A sleep disorder program and a continence clinic also opened in recent years.
"Our medical staff has expanded quite a bit over the recent years, but that's a continuing process," said Touchton. "Establishing this facility is part of that, and recruiting new physicians and bringing in more clients is a high priority."
