Millard Suburban expansion hits milestone
Phase one completed

James R. Kaskie, left, president and CEO of Kaleida Health, and Christopher Lane, president, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, stand in the renovated lobby of Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital following Tuesday's official opening. Photo by Amy Krakowiak Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

Completion of phase one of the $64 million expansion of Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital was marked Tuesday morning by an official grand opening of the lobby, surgical waiting room and admissions department.

The hospital, at 1540 Maple Road near MacArthur Drive in Amherst, opened in 1974.

"This is the culmination of many years of strategic planning and hard work of so many people who shared our vision of new and improved space to better serve our patients and their families," said Christopher Lane, president of Millard Fillmore Suburban.

"Without their dedication and generosity, our expansion would not have been possible."

The expansion will add more than 100,000 square feet to the hospital, including a new emergency department with 38 private treatment bays. The space will also include 10 new operating room suites, expanded lab and radiology departments and approximately 60 additional inpatient beds.

The emergency department, labs and radiology labs are expected to be operational in December. The operating rooms and new bed addition are expected to be complete by June 2008.

"This grand opening marks the first step in the transformation of the Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital campus," said James Kaskie, president and chief executive officer of Kaleida Health. "It is an exciting day because the $64 million investment will directly impact our patients by improving the quality and delivery of care."

The hospital is a subsidiary of Kaleida Health, the largest health care provider in Western New York.

Reginald B. Newman II served as the "Growing for our Community" campaign chair.