Rochester Regional Health officials bid farewell to the days of confusion over the true location of the entrance to Newark-Wayne Hospital on Wednesday as they celebrated the opening of a newly-constructed front entrance.
The project broke ground in June 2016 but has been in the works for nearly a decade, according to Dustin Riccio, president of Rochester Regional Health Eastern Region.
Prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Riccio and vice president/COO of Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, Trisha Koczent, gave the Times of Wayne County an exclusive tour of the addition.
Riccio began with highlighting what was the basis for the project – the Marshall Pavilion – named after the Marshall family who made a large donation to the project – that features a canopy to protect patients and visitors from the outside elements.
“We’ve got a huge sign with stenciled letters that we can change the colors on,” Riccio said. “It’s a clear definition as to where our front entrance is and where people go for that.”
Through the main doors, on the left, is a desk that Riccio said will serve as a one-stop shop for all patient registration. In the lobby area, Riccio noted that there will be screens which will essentially be a status board to update families on the status of patients.
“Once they are checked in, they’ll go into a private area to register, which is huge,” Koczent explained. “Right now, they’ve been registering in a cubicle but with our new access area, we will have private interview rooms.”
Also included in the new project is a private exit area where patients can leave the hospital without walking through the main entrance. There will be additional parking near the discharge door so family members can pick up patients.
“When you’re coming out of the hospital, you’re not looking your best,” Riccio said. “This was something that our team members came up with to say, ‘How do we give people the most dignity possible?’”
The lobby now features a fireplace and benches with outlets where visitors can charge their portable electronics and connect to the Wi-Fi as they wait. It also includes an array of seating with high-top tables, chairs and loveseats, all surrounded by glass windows which creates a warm and comfortable environment.
A new coffee shop, “1200 Perk”, will open in the lobby. “We’re actually coming out with our blend of coffee too,” Riccio added.
At the eastern end of the addition to the hospital is a new chapel, which Riccio said was one of the key things that the community asked to have back. The original chapel was removed when the hospital renovated their emergency department.
To close out the tour, Riccio highlighted the history wall that runs along the hallway behind the new lobby. The wall features historical photos from each town in Wayne County, along with photos of the hospital in various stages. A spot was saved at the end of the wall for a photo of the newly-completed entrance.
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