Flooring Repair Temporarily Impacts Surgeries in Newport January 10, 2025 The ongoing flooring replacement project at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital has moved into the surgery department this week. As a result, some elective surgeries and procedures are being delayed to March. “To ensure a safe and high-quality environment, we needed to seal off half of the surgery department while flooring is replaced, then we will seal off the other side to complete the work,” said Jon Conner, director of Plant Services. “We ask for understanding as contractors make the repairs as quickly as possible.” The hospital has four operating rooms and 14 pre-op admitting rooms. Half of them at a time will be unavailable during this phase of the flooring project. The work in the surgery department is expected to be completed by Monday, March 3. An elective surgery is one that is planned in advance and is not for an urgent or life-threatening condition. Examples include total joint replacement, colonoscopy and cataract surgery. If patients have questions about the scheduling of their surgeries, they may contact Surgical Services Manager Donna Huey at 541-574-4715 or by email at [email protected]. About the Flooring Project Work to remove and replace flooring throughout the hospital began in June 2024 and is expected to be completed in August of this year. To minimize disruption to patients and staff, work is being done in phases and in small sections at a time. Additionally, flooring contractors are working with the hospital’s Infection Control and Risk Assessment staff to ensure patients and employees are safe and that patient care continues safely. Soon after the new hospital building opened in January 2019, it became apparent that there were widespread flooring problems. Through mediation between Samaritan and the contractors, a financial settlement was reached to cover the cost of repairs. In an earlier press release, hospital CEO Lesley Ogden, MD, said, “I want to emphasize this point: the cost of finding the root cause of the failure and the necessary remedial work will not come from the taxpayers of the Pacific Communities Health District who so generously voted to fund this important facility for their community.”
