November 11, 2004 -- Fourteen new, state-of-the art operating rooms are opening at the University of Virginia Medical Center.

The opening marks the midpoint of a four-year expansion effort that will significantly increase surgical capabilities and keep U.Va. in the forefront of advanced surgical technologies. Employees and media guests can preview the new surgical suites on Wednesday, Nov. 10 from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Once the operating rooms are being used in mid-November, a sterile environment will be created limiting the opportunities for press and public access. 

“Our surgeons will now have access to the most technologically advanced tools in imaging, robotics and infection control. The Expansion will also increase our radiology and heart center capabilities,” said R. Edward Howell, vice president and chief executive officer of U.Va. Medical Center.

The new operating rooms, located in the facility’s newly created wing, are 13,000 square feet of new floor space containing 21st Century technology. New features include a new air handling system called Laminar Airflow that creates a germ-free air barrier around the patient and “Smart OR” technology which involves booms that provide surgeons with easier use of endoscopic equipment and flat panel screens to view images from radiology, digital video recordings and even telemedicine proceedings. The changes reflect the Health System’s commitment to innovation, safety and precision.

Through all these changes, the Health System does not lose sight of its most important commitment—patients and their families. That is why renovations also include newly constructed pathways and areas that make for better privacy, easy navigation and increased comfort for patients in recovery and family members waiting to see their loved ones. For greater ease upon registration, patients and their families have three different registration desks that receive them based on the surgical procedure that they need. There are separate elevators for surgical patients as well.