Central Peninsula Hospital (CPH) is making a major investment in the diagnostic capabilities it provides to Kenai Peninsula residents—and this summer, that investment becomes visible. CPH’s laboratory is undergoing a significant equipment upgrade, bringing in new, state-of-the-art analyzers that will expand the range of diagnostic services available right here in Soldotna. For patients, that means more tests performed locally, faster results and less need to travel outside the community for specialized lab work. Federal requirements mandate that new and existing equipment run side by side for several months during the transition, ensuring no interruption to lab services for patients while the next generation of capabilities comes online. For many Peninsula residents, local lab tests mean the difference between a same-day answer and a trip to Anchorage. As CPH’s diagnostic capabilities grow, more of those answers will be available close to home—reducing travel time, lowering stress and keeping care connected to the providers and community patients already know and trust. Creative reorganization Making room for the expansion required some creative thinking. New lab analyzers are larger than the equipment they replace, and the current lab footprint simply couldn’t accommodate both old and new running simultaneously. So CPH’s leadership mapped out a deliberate, multistep campus reorganization. This summer, approximately 55 CPH employees will relocate as part of the reorganization. The Central Billing Office and Patient Financial Services will move together into the former Joann Fabrics building on the Sterling Highway, bringing two departments that work closely together under one roof for the first time. The Joann Fabrics building will house administrative staff only. Many of these employees had been working in overcrowded, off-site conditions. Relocating them together addresses that issue and creates space for the larger expansion. The shift opens space for the Quality department to move into the vacated River Tower offices, which in turn allows Care Coordination to relocate, giving the lab the expanded footprint it needs. No clinical or patient care services will be affected at any point. The reorganization also creates a dedicated space for an incoming dermatology physician, expanding specialty skin care access on the Peninsula this fall. And as a bonus for the broader Soldotna community, CPH will be releasing approximately 3,100 square feet of Peninsula Center mall space it has been using for medical records storage, returning that square footage to the commercial market at the end of the current lease term. Investing with you in mind CPH has been the anchor of health care on the Kenai Peninsula for more than 60 years, and this expansion reflects the hospital’s ongoing commitment to growing alongside the community it serves. Investments like this one—in equipment, in staff and in space—are how CPH ensures that Peninsula residents continue to have access to high-quality care without leaving home. to bring you needed services GROWING 4 Central Peninsula Hospital
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTI0MzU=