As Hartford HealthCare continues efforts to expand its 65-acre flagship hospital campus in the city, it has filed a request with state hospital regulators to temporarily relocate its medical oncology and infusion services.
Hartford Hospital filed a request on May 15 seeking a certificate of need (CON) determination from the state Office of Health Strategy (OHS) to move its medical oncology and infusion services from 85 Retreat Ave., to 85 Jefferson St., in Hartford.
The state can require a hospital or healthcare organization to seek a CON for a variety of reasons, including when a facility wants to introduce any new or additional function or service into its program of care, or terminate a health service, including closing a facility.
The request cites construction work being performed on the tower at Retreat Avenue as the reason for the relocation of services.
“Due to the structural and foundational work required for the Retreat Tower, medical oncology and infusion services will need to temporarily relocate in order to continue to see and treat patients,” the hospital states. “The two locations are situated on the main campus of the Hospital (6-minute walk). When the new Retreat Tower is completed, medical oncology and infusion services will then be relocated to the new facility.”
The request adds that because the hospital does not anticipate any change in the patient population served or payer mix due to the relocation, and that no interruption in service is anticipated, it believes a CON approval “should not be required.”
The healthcare organization is working on a number of projects as part of its “facilities master plan.” The plan includes projects to be completed over the next decade, including:
- A new, 470,000-square-foot inpatient bed tower.
- A new parking garage with up to 1,600 spaces and ground-floor space for clinical and community support programs, totaling about 600,000 square feet.
- A new 80,000-square-foot patient bed wing expansion.
- A new 80,000-square-foot cancer center and Emergency Department expansion, and
- A new 35,000-square-foot medical office building and President’s Corner revitalization.
In a statement emailed to Hartford Business Journal on Wednesday, Hartford HealthCare stated that work on the projects is progressing.
“We are proud of the renovations to the Levi Felt house, to Hall-Wilson, and the Community Health Center, and we are currently in the process of rebuilding the existing Jefferson garage,” the organization said. “We are actively evaluating major construction to the Hartford campus to better serve the needs of the community and improve the patient experience.”
The statement added that there “are many moving parts under serious consideration,” and that the organization hopes to share “more detailed plans soon.”
