"We have designed the outside of the new structure to look like
that of the hospital," said Mark Saunders, who has overseen the addition's
construction. "But inside here, we have tried to be a bit more contemporary
and open- spaced.''
Residents are invited to tour Robinson Memorial Hospital's new 67,000-square-foot
addition from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, when its facilities and services
will be unveiled to the public eye.
The tour will begin with a survey of the RehabCenter and SportClinic,
a facility housing a 2,000-square-foot therapeutic pool in addition to more
than 30 weight and simulation machines styled for patients in physical and
occupational therapy.
"The goal of our rehabilitation programs is to enhance quality of
life by reducing pain, fostering healing and, ultimately, getting people
back to function,'' said Joe Blasiole, director of the RehabCenter. "Swimming
can be excellent therapy for certain physical ailments, because the buoyancy
allows patients to perform exercises they could not perform outside of water.''
Not only will the pool aid patients in physical therapy, but also children
engaged in speech therapy, according to speech pathologist Christina Skinner.
"Cognitive stimulation between the ages of one and three is critical
to a child's linguistic development," Skinner said. "For children
who were deprived of such, the pool will be an important resource where
they can interact with their therapist and other children. It is a place
where their senses can be bombarded."
Comfortably couched on the building's first floor, the speech therapy
program is aiming to expand its services through contact with area physicians,
who might refer patients in need of such services.
The Robinson Radiation Oncology is located in the building's basement.
A collaborative effort between Robinson Memorial and Akron General Medical
Center, the center is the first of its kind in Portage County.
"The patients we have treated so far seem pretty pleased that they
no longer have to drive to Akron for their treatments,'' said radiation
therapist Mike Burkey. "About 80 percent of our patients are over 60
years old, so that drive can be tough, especially in the winter time.''
The tour continues to the second floor, which houses the services offered
by Ravenna Primary Care physicians. Formerly scattered in separate buildings,
these physicians are now centrally located, a shift that should benefit
both them and their patients, according to Amy Griffiths, a nurse at the
facility.
"The design affords the capabilities of a very large practice, but
at the same time, provides a lot of privacy for the patients,'' she said.
"For patients coming from more crowded offices, this will be a real
treat."
Dr. Pedro Montemayor is also practicing at the site.
The building's third floor will house additional physician offices, which
are still under construction. All told, services will range from family
practice and internal medicine to gynecology, ophthalmology and pulmonary
medicine.
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