News - Military

Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

Keesler Medical Center gets upgrades

Completion expected by Feb. 2011

By DONNA MELTON

Sun Herald

BILOXI — Keesler Medical Center is getting a face lift.

Two months into the $32.3 million project to modernize the Biloxi facility, medical personnel can expect construction disruptions, while visitors will notice contractors on rooftops and hanging from scaffolding.

However, the majority of work inside the medical center will occur in equipment rooms, elevator shafts and other spots that are generally out-of-site from the public, said Stephen Pivnick, chief of public affairs for the 81st Medical Group.

“The team’s primary goal is to limit construction impacts on patient care,” said Capt. Matt Clugston, Air Force Medical Support Agency’s project health facilities officer. “The key element to this project’s success will be the integration of the medical staff in planning each step of the way.”

A completion date of February 2011 has been set.

The upgrades follow Silver LEED goals for the medical center, Clugston said.

Certification through LEED, or Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design, means the buildings will provide healthier work environments, which contributes to higher productivity and improved employee health and comfort.

The project will also address the remaining damage to buildings caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Projects include:

n Replacing and upgrading the medical center heating, ventilation and air conditioning system

n Electrical breaker panel upgrades

n Installation of a more energy-efficient and hurricane-resistant roofing

n Installing metered utilities for the facility

n Upgrades of two banks of elevators which will make it easier to transport patients throughout the medical center by maximizing cab space for larger beds.

Some of the components being replaced have reached or exceeded their useful life requiring excessive maintenance, while other upgrades are projected to reduce operating costs, Clugston said.

“This project will bring these systems up to current codes and enhance Keesler Medical Center’s ability to continue its mission well into the future,” he said.

The Air Force Medical Support Agency is managing the IREM project which is contracted through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Specpro Environmental Services is the prime contractor responsible for reroofing, building facade repairs and repainting, crawl space restoration and electrical and mechanical system upgrades.

According to the military base’s Web site, Keesler Medical Center provides healthcare for 10,831 active duty and 47,102 eligible local beneficiaries in a 40-mile radius of the base.