Ascension Wisconsin plans to add a new $16 million labor and delivery unit at the Women’s Medical Center on the Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital Milwaukee campus.
The new 37,000-square-foot unit will include additional delivery rooms, Caesarean-section suites and patient-friendly amenities, the health system said.
It is the second phase of a larger project to update the Women’s Medical Center at 2323 N. Lake Dr. In 2016, the health system completed a renovation of the post-partum unit of the Women’s Medical Center.
Future phases will include expanding the neonatal intensive care unit and post-partum services.
Construction on the new labor and delivery unit, which is being built in an existing space on the second floor of the Women’s Medical Center, will begin in April and is expected to open in April 2020.
“Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital Milwaukee is committed to being the best choice for mothers and their growing families by providing convenient, quality care with an outstanding experience during this important time in their lives,” said Kelly Elkins, president of Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital. “Our team of caregivers is focused on providing compassionate, personalized care that begins with expectant mothers and the birth of their children and continues throughout life’s journey.”
Ascension Wisconsin providers were involved with designing the new unit to integrate the latest clinical practice guidelines, the health system said. Patient focus groups also helped inform the plans.
Leaders have been working over the past few years to make Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Milwaukee a tertiary-care hospital, a designation given to major hospitals capable of handling the most advanced and specialized medical cases. That process has involved recruiting new physicians and sub-specialists and making capital investments in the facility.
“New moms want a life-affirming experience while having access to compassionate providers and the latest technology,” said Bernie Sherry, ministry market executive of Ascension Wisconsin. “As we continue to develop Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s as a tertiary center, we understand the importance of enhancing our services for the communities we are privileged to serve.”
