Progress is good medicine for community

It’s official. As of Wednesday, the “G” is gone from CPGH.

Central Peninsula Hospital’s new name and the completion of Phase 2 — a months-long expansion — were celebrated by hospital staff, Kenai Peninsula Borough officials and the central peninsula community.

What a great success on many levels. Not only is there an 82,000-square-foot addition with 50 new private inpatient rooms, six intensive care units, 13 private preoperation rooms and a new laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment, but the expansion allows the hospital to offer a more relaxed environment.

Let’s face it, going to hospital can be a stressful journey. Healthy recoveries require a chance to heal and relax. Architects took these issues into consideration whether the trip is for shots, X-rays or surgery. Those needing to find their way will be directed by artistic directional symbols painted on the walls. Children were taken into account with the addition of a children’s waiting area called Player’s Peak, which holds children’s movies and a Nintendo game. There’s even family kitchens and lounges and pull-out sofa-beds in the private rooms.

They’ve also added professional massage therapists on staff for pre- and post-therapy stress relief and an all-faith sanctuary room for meditation and prayer.

It will be next week before the new addition will be ready for patients, but those patients will be part of Central Peninsula Hospital’s history in taking steps toward making the peninsula’s medical community a better one.

There’s more to come, too. Phase 3, the final phase of the project, is scheduled to begin Feb. 1 and estimated to be completed in spring 2008 for $9.14 million. It will include a renovation of 25,000 square feet of the original hospital building, including a more user-friendly cafeteria, and an additional 8,100 square feet of new construction.

In all, the project will cost $49.9 million — covered by hospital service area bonds appropriated in 2003. Phase 1 included site preparation and was completed in 2004.

So was the $31 million for Phase 2 well spent?

In our opinion, yes. Making our residents feel comfortable in their own community will do wonders in helping them get their feet back on the ground.

Next to laughter, caring is the best medicine.