How will Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center's new building improve patient care? Here's what administrators say.

Beth Ann Miller, The Daily American
·5 min read

JOHNSTOWN ― Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center unveiled its new Cardiovascular and Surgical Care Pavilion at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, promoting the hospital’s most recent upgrades to patient care in its 135-year history.

The 75,000 square-foot, three-story building is the result of a three-year, $77 million project by Duke LifePoint (DLP) to consolidate the cardiovascular department and surgical units at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, one of the top performing hospitals in the DLP system according to administrators.

Chief Nursing Officer Kris O'Shea, background center, leads a group of visitors through the new recovery room in the hospital's Cardiovascular and Surgical Care Pavilion.
Chief Nursing Officer Kris O'Shea, background center, leads a group of visitors through the new recovery room in the hospital's Cardiovascular and Surgical Care Pavilion.

Where this started: Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center starts new building project

“I’m so proud to be part of it, because you see not only this incredible equipment, but you see people that really care about providing the best care for everyone that walks in the door,” said Rodney Reider, Conemaugh CEO.

“We put the patient in the center, and we built the infrastructure around it. That infrastructure is to provide the best care possible, that is why we’re here today.”

Rodney Reider, foreground left, CEO of Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, shakes the hand of Michael Cashaw, a member of the hospital's advisory board, after the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Rodney Reider, foreground left, CEO of Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, shakes the hand of Michael Cashaw, a member of the hospital's advisory board, after the ribbon cutting ceremony.

One-stop testing, treatment area

The new building ties into the third, fourth and fifth floors of the medical center’s existing footprint, and it also brings together some of the hospital’s imaging equipment and outpatient and inpatient surgical areas to create a one-stop location for patients and their families, Reider said.

“(The pavilion is) cutting edge on everything, but what I like about it too is that you have this great technological advancement, best in the world, but it’s better for the patient,” he said.

“We put the patient in the center and build the infrastructure around it. It’s simple, one stop ... now you come to one spot, you check in and everything’s taken care of. And that’s for not only the initial visit but everything afterwards. There’s really nothing like it in this whole area.”

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The new imaging equipment also offers patients a safer and more comfortable testing experience, Reider said.

“Inpatient/outpatient surgery will be on one floor, one staging area, advanced imaging,” he said. “People used to come in, and you had to hold your arms over your head for 20 minutes (during a test). Now you’re in and out in two minutes. And not only is the picture better than it’s ever been, but you’re receiving less radiation and you’re more comfortable in the seat. So everything is being thought of about how people get the care when they come into our facility.”

Streamlining cardiovascular care

Conemaugh’s cardiovascular department has kept pace with world-wide advancements in the treatment of coronary artery disease since 1989, when the hospital performed its first balloon angioplasty (which uses a balloon-like medical instrument to open a blocked artery in the heart), said Dr. Cyril Nathaniel, interventional cardiologist.

Dr. Cyril Nathaniel, an interventional cardiologist at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, spoke on how the new building will streamline care and treatment for the hospital's cardiovascular patients and staff.
Dr. Cyril Nathaniel, an interventional cardiologist at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, spoke on how the new building will streamline care and treatment for the hospital's cardiovascular patients and staff.

In fact, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center was chosen in 2023 as one of only two hospitals in Pennsylvania to offer advanced heart valves and implant the world’s smallest and leadless pacemaker, according to a release announcing the pavilion’s opening.

The new Cardiac and Surgical Care Pavilion will make that work even more efficient and convenient, both for patients and staff, Nathaniel said.

“It’s really revolutionized the care of the patients. When we’re talking about caring for cardiovascular patients, we were a little bit scattered – the cardiothoracic surgery was in one place, cardiology was in one place and the cardio testing was in another place,” he said.

“So what this building brings to us is really a big blessing for the patients and us, because they can come over here, get their testing done, they can see a vascular surgeon if need be, they can see a cardiothoracic surgeon or cardiologist, they can get everything done. So it streamlines their care, makes it so much easier.

“It all adds up for our cardiovascular and surgical departments to be integrated in one building and be able to facilitate the patient care in a much more efficient way.”

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A 'higher dedication'

The hospital’s ambulatory (outpatient) and inpatient operating rooms will both be located on the fourth floor, and its sterile processing department, which cleans and sterilizes the medical instruments used in the operating rooms, is also being integrated into a central location in the new building.

There are still a few final projects to complete and the hospital is awaiting the receipt of its occupancy permit for the new building from the state Department of Health, so the goal is to open the pavilion to patients in mid-March, Reider said.

Construction crews are finishing up the exterior of the new Cardiovascular and Surgical Care Pavilion, at left, at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center. The new building ties into the third, fourth and fifth floors of the hospital's existing footprint.
Construction crews are finishing up the exterior of the new Cardiovascular and Surgical Care Pavilion, at left, at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center. The new building ties into the third, fourth and fifth floors of the hospital's existing footprint.

This week, Reider marks his first year as CEO of Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center and market president of the Conemaugh Health System. A California native, he worked in Idaho for the past 10 years leading a health system that had hospitals in Idaho, Oregon and California before he decided to move east to work in Johnstown.

He said he has been surprised and impressed at the quality of care and the level of expertise he’s seen here, in what would be considered as a smaller healthcare market.

“I really do feel blessed to be here,” he said. “These people are really incredible, they are so dedicated, they want to do the right thing for the patient. And they’re proud of what they do because it’s something bigger than themselves, to have this higher dedication to do what’s right for the patient and for each other.

“I’ve been at hospitals all over the world, overseas, everything – this place is incredible, it really is. These people are that good, dedicated. You don’t become a Trauma Level 1 (hospital easily), you’ve got to be the best, and these guys are the best.  I was shocked when I got here, how much they are capable of and how good they are at what they do.

It’s not just because I’m in the role (as CEO), but I’ve really seen that. The heart care, the type of surgeries they do here ... these guys are good. I’m just impressed. They’ve got some cutting-edge stuff that you don’t see in other places.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center opens new Cardiovascular and Surgical Care Pavilion