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MUSC's new hospital ART opening provides space for others by  Heather Woolwine Public Relations If there is one constant in life, it is that things change. Not immune to the sands of the hourglass or the need to progress, the MUSC campus is changing to further excellence in patient care, teaching and research. Part of that change is the opening of the Ashley River Tower, and what will happen when services vacate space in the main hospital to move there.   Referred to as “backfill planning,” the six areas in the main hospital vacated by departmental moves later this year will serve several purposes. Those areas include the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU), the Coronary Care Unit (CCU), Bariatric Surgery Unit (6W), 9th floor Progressive Care Unit (9E and 9W), the Digestive Disease Center (10W), and the Surgical Oncology Unit (10E).   “This is a great opportunity for us to focus our backfill efforts on expanding patient populations that will not be seen at the Ashley River Tower complex,” said Marilyn Schaffner, Ph.D., R.N., Clinical Services administrator and chief nursing executive.   With empty space, cleaning and renovations can take place with minimal impact on patients and staff. For more than two years a cross section of clinical and administrative leadership guiding the process worked on these plans, said Dennis Frazier, Facility and Capital Improvements administrator. Actual design and construction of these  six areas can begin as soon as they are vacated in October and will be sequenced based on MUSC financial and strategic goals.   “The planning team decides what the ideal use of space will be once it is vacated, which services need to expand their clinical space, and which services might need to move to a different area entirely,” Frazier said. “Our plan is to renovate these newly vacated areas as soon as possible so that we can accommodate more patients as the need arises. Some areas will just need a new coat of paint and they’ll be ready to go while others may need more extensive renovation. All six areas would be part of a phased renovation plan beginning later this summer. Our current plan could have all the areas back in service by fall 2008.”   Related to the multi-phase hospital project and Ashley River Tower backfill planning are other projects throughout campus. The Emergency Services department, Radiology, Surgery Trauma Intensive Care Unit, Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit, and the Children’s Hospital’s 5th, 6th, and 8th floors are some of the areas under review.   “All of the plans involving the backfill space in the main hospital need to be coordinated with these other plans. We have been fortunate to have this time while the Ashley River Tower is being built to identify these project needs and study their impact on each other. In the end, we will have a good plan that has had input from all the areas of the Medical Center,” Frazier said.     Friday, April 27, 2007 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.