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Dennison, Ohio — March 30, 2015 — Located halfway between Columbus and Pittsburgh, the village of Dennison boasts a population of less than 3,000, making Trinity Hospital Twin City an integral healthcare provider in the community.
When Trinity learned it was in danger of losing its Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) coverage due to life safety concerns in the older portion of their facility, it called on Welty to help improve the facility.
“Trinity is not a large hospital, but they’re an important one to this community,” said John Hartman, group president, Welty Building Co. “They serve a high percentage of Medicare and Medicaid patients, so maintaining their CMS accreditation was critical for the facility to continue to operate. They needed to get up to code quickly and cost effectively.”
Working with a tight budget and even tighter timeline, Welty brought in an architect experienced with life safety issues to plan for interior renovation needs, then delivered on those plans in just four months.
Once additional funding was in place, Welty kicked off Phase Two of the renovation in September 2014. Between both phases of the project, Welty has installed a sprinkler system, fire protection between floors, new flooring, and updated electrical work, and completely renovated the entire original wing of the hospital, including clinic facilities and exam rooms.
In addition to facing a tight timeline and budget, Welty also encountered challenges associated with working inside a 100-year-old building. “The architectural plans can only tell you so much. Once you break down a wall, you encounter unexpected issues that aren’t necessarily in the budget,” Hartman said. Welty overcame these challenges by preplanning accordingly and having the superintendent onsite every day. The result is added value for the client.
Because Trinity is the sole hospital in southern Tuscarawas County, it was important for the facility to remain open during any renovation. Welty crews made this possible, scheduling the most disruptive work at times when hospital staffing was at a minimum, including many overnights.
“Welty’s relationships with experts in this field and our ability to respond quickly were key for Trinity,” Hartman noted.
