Salem, MA  – The new ambulatory care center being developed in Danvers by North Shore Medical Center (NSMC) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) officially marked the start of construction today.

SEE a VIDEO about the Center

READ THE CONSTRUCTION BLOG, launched in Jan.!

At a kick-off event, more than 150 guests were invited to sign a construction beam that will become part of the permanent framework of the structure.

The Mass General/North Shore Center for Outpatient Care is a 122,000-square-foot outpatient facility and 80,000-square-foot medical office building, located at 100 Endicott Street. This sleek, modern facility will open in the spring of 2009 and offer more sophisticated services than any existing or proposed outpatient facility in the region. The center will provide the latest in cardiac diagnostics, suites for outpatient and minimally invasive surgery, and advanced imaging services, as well as serve as the expanded home of the new MGH/NSMC Cancer Center, a comprehensive cancer care center.

“This is an exciting step forward for both North Shore Medical Center and Mass General,” said Robert Norton, President and CEO of North Shore Medical Center. “This new facility enables us to work more closely than ever with our MGH colleagues and provide people on the North Shore with the most advanced patient care in an accessible, comfortable environment.”

Featuring natural design elements like cherry wood and stone exterior panels made from recycled materials, and a spacious two-story atrium, the facility incorporates the healing power of nature and light in a warm and inviting atmosphere. The three-story building is nestled into the natural slope of the land, lowering the overall profile of the building so that only two floors will be visible from Endicott Street. The new cancer center, located on the lower level, will have its own entrance overlooking tidal wetlands, providing soothing vistas and natural light to patients receiving chemotherapy treatments.

According to James J. Mongan, M.D., president and CEO of Partners HealthCare, the parent company of both NSMC and MGH, the new facility represents Partners’ goal to provide patients with access to excellent care where they live. “With multiple locations and an integrated medical record system that links Partners, we can enhance the quality and continuity of care we provide to our patients.”

The new facility builds on a decades-old collaboration between NSMC and MGH and significantly deepens the level of integration between the two institutions.

“NSMC and the MGH have collaborated for decades and collectively cared for tens of thousands of patients who live and work on the North Shore,” said David Torchiana, MD, CEO and chairman of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization. “We are focused on creating a facility that will ensure that the highest quality of care continues to be available in that community for years to come.”

Already, approximately 143,000 square feet of the landmark Osram Sylvania building has been demolished to make way for the new center. Osram will continue operations in the remainder of the building and has a long-term lease agreement with Partners HealthCare.

Designed by renowned architectural firm Shepley Bulfinch Richardson & Abbott, the building will be constructed by Walsh Brothers Construction, Inc., which specializes in modern medical facilities. Construction costs are estimated at $125 million

Highlights of the ambulatory care center include:

• MGH – NSMC Cancer Center – 48,270 s.f. center with MGH and NSMC cancer specialists working side-by-side to provide the most advanced therapy available, including pioneering clinical trials.
• 24 infusion bays for chemotherapy (increased from 18 in current center)
• 4 linear accelerators for radiation therapy
• Intensity modulated radiation therapy
• CT simulation
• 13 exam rooms
• Blood lab and pharmacy

• Day surgery – eight state-of-the-art surgery suites, equipped with the latest technology enabling NSMC and MGH surgeons to provide the most comprehensive care.
• 31 pre-operative and recovery bays
• 4 dedicated pediatric recovery rooms
• Pre-surgical testing area
• Diagnostic imaging – CT scan, MRI, radiography, ultrasound, non-invasive vascular testing
• Dedicated Breast Health Center
• Digital mammography
• Stereotactic imaging
• Breast ultrasound
• Diagnostic cardiology – stress testing, echocardiography, Holter monitoring, EKG, and the latest technologically advanced diagnostic cardiology equipment. The new diagnostic program complements the NSMC Heart Center, which is located at NSMC Salem Hospital and is a joint program with MGH. It is the only cardiac surgery and emergency angioplasty program on the North Shore.
• Medical office building – 80,000-square-foot building attached to the ambulatory care center by a glass atrium, providing space for 50 physicians (primary care and an extensive range of specialty services).
• Facility design – designed to incorporate the latest in innovations and future developments in technology for patient safety and convenience, such as electronic medical records, computerized physician order management, and minimally invasive surgical devices.

For more information please contact Kevin Ronningen in the NSMC Marketing and Public Relations office.