These are busy times for Florida Hospital DeLand where two construction projects are underway to serve the growing community. The Victoria Medical Park, a free-standing outpatient facility, is scheduled to open on Oct. 1, and the hospital's existing Cancer Center began a three-phase renovation on July 1.

 

Randy Surber, chief operating officer, says work is progressing on schedule with both projects. "This is an exciting time to be part of Florida Hospital DeLand," he said. "We're expanding to meet the needs of the community. Our goal is to have needed facilities so residents won't have to travel outside the area for healthcare. We want them to be able to stay where they'll have the support of family and friends."

 

Delivering healthcare close to home has been a tenet of the 156-bed acute-care hospital since it was established in 1962. It is part of the Adventist Health System, the largest Protestant not-for-profit hospital system in the country, and is fully certified. There are 150 physicians on staff who, along with an army of employees, provide a long list of care and services. The hospital also has educational events and screenings for the community.

 

Surber, who joined the hospital in late 2009, says the new Victoria Medical Park is being constructed in the upscale residential community of Victoria Park. The facility's location is across the street from Victoria Park's Retail Village Center. A $14 million project, the Medical Park consists of 25,000 square feet and has a colorful exterior to match other community buildings. The design is by Lillibridge, a Chicago-based healthcare real estate firm, with Freese Construction Company as the general contractor.

 

"This is a nice, planned community and our facility will blend right in," Surber said. "The accessibility of the close proximity to Interstate 4 greatly influenced the location, and the population is growing in that area. Planning for this project has been going on for three years."

 

DeLand's population is approximately 26,000 but Florida Hospital DeLand's service area includes 190,000 people. Victoria Medical Park is within a 20 to 30 minute drive for most of this population.

 

The new facility will have a variety of outpatient services, including imaging, women's diagnostics, rehabilitation and sports medicine, and a laboratory along with offices for four physicians.

 

"The medical staff will be a blend of physicians currently on our staff and some new ones," Surber said. "We expect to add specialties in neurology, primary care, and obstetrics/gynecology."

 

The time for construction was chosen in spite of the sluggish economy, he added, because the planning and funding were already in place and the need exists. "It has not been particularly challenging to build at this time," he said. "We already had funding from local and corporate sources. Funding we generate off the revenue we earn is being re-invested into the community. The economy being what it is has worked to our advantage with craftsmen and others being available to work."

 

The $5 million Cancer Center project is being done in three phases to ensure uninterrupted service to patients in this facility located across the street on West Plymouth Avenue from the main hospital campus. The existing facility was built in 1991.

 

Renovations to the 2,100-square-foot center are being done in partnership with the Florida Oncology Network and are expected to be finished in nine months.

 

In phase one, a three-foot thick vault will be added to include a new linear accelerator for image guided radiation therapy that is the latest technology in fighting cancer. Phase two will include the placement of a PET scanner and interior renovations for a complete refurbishing. Exterior renovations will be done in phase three. 

 

"Construction work in an operating facility presents challenges, but we are carefully considering the needs of patients so we can continue services during this time," Surber said. "We will continue using the current linear accelerator until the new one is ready for use. There should be no disruption of service."

 

The Cancer Center currently has a staff of twelve people. It's not known at this time if additional employees will be needed when renovations are complete.

 

"We are fortunate to be able to move ahead with these projects," Surber said. "When complete, both of them will give us more opportunities to serve patients, their families and the greater community. The work is going along smoothly and we have not encountered any problems."