By Rebecca Burk / L’Observateur / March 12, 1998

LAPLACE – A ribbon was cut Monday celebrating the opening of the newestaddition to the surgical services department at River Parishes Hospital.

The hospital, which had three operating rooms, now has four, with anotherroom “shelled out” for future use. That means the hospital can handle evenmore surgeries than the already approximated 300 performed there eachmonth.

With the addition of the new operating room, the hospital’s surgicalservices department can handle up to 400 surgeries a month ranging fromgeneral surgical cases to major trauma cases.

Hospital CEO Ann Kuss said the need for more surgeries is there.

“We have a lot more surgeries,” Kuss said. “That attributes to more peoplecoming to the hospital and growth in the community.”Diane Abbondante, RN, director of surgical services, is thrilled thehospital will now be able to better meet the needs of the community.

“Right now, because we have so much business, we will be able toaccommodate the needs of the community and have a newer room to do itin,” Abbondante said.

And the hospital didn’t just stop at the addition and equipping of a newoperating room. It also prepared another room that only needs to beequipped with surgical equipment to add another operating room to thenumber currently at River Parishes.

“We knew we just needed one now, but we went ahead and got the secondone ready for future growth,” Kuss said.

Kuss said they decided to get the other operating room ready becausehospital additions are so expensive. “It was more cost effective to goahead and shell out the new one,” she said.

Abbondante expects the new, equipped operating room to be ready for usesometime next week after a few important things are done.”We need to inservice the employees on all of the new equipment andcheck the pressure to make sure the room is considered a sterileenvironment,” Abbondante said.

“It’s all to make sure we have the best quality care for our patients,” LisaFuglaar, director of marketing, said.

Kuss said she is glad the wait is finally over and the new operating roomwill soon be ready for surgery.

“It’s really nice,” she said. “It usually takes about two-and-a-half tothree years from the time a hospital realizes they need it to the time it’sfinished. We’re really excited it’s open. With the area growing and the needfor it, it’s perfect timing.”

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