Inside Monroe Community Hospital’s Friendship building you will find a dated pediatric unit adjacent to the ventilator unit.
The walls and ceilings, painted in an earth tone, are decorated with posters of sea life and from the ceiling dangles streamers with photos of aquatic animals, all of which give the halls a childlike feel.
The space is limited.
“Between upgrading the ventilator unit, expanding the pediatric unit and redesigning our playground, those are the three components of this $10 million project,” said Alyssa Tallo, MCH executive health director Alyssa Tallo.
Monroe Community Hospital is using $10.2 million in state funding to renovate its Friendship building. The grant is part of a $300 million statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program to support up to 50 health care projects.
“We really want to focus on making this space the best clinical space that we can, while also balancing that with quality of life for residents in long-term care,” Tallo said.
The unit currently has five patient beds. Tallo said the goal is to at least quadruple that number with the expansion. She said the growth will benefit more children and their families seeking long-term care services or long-term rehab.
“Some of those kids in our region right now are going out to Albany County or Erie County. So as a parent, when you look at it, the need is there,” Tallo said.
MCH has the Finger Lakes region's only long-term care program specializing in pediatric care for complex conditions, according to the hospital’s website.
In a statement, County Executive Adam Bello said the investment in MCH reflects the county’s “ongoing commitment to providing the highest quality care for our residents.”
Tallo said the renovations are scheduled to be completed by next summer.
