NORWICH, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – Chenango Memorial Hospital in Norwich received some great news from New York State last week.

The UHS facility is getting $20 million in transformation funding to go toward Phase 2 of its Chenango Medical Neighborhood Plan.

The overall goal of the 3 phase plan is create a single campus in Chenango County where patients can receive wrap around care.

The second phase focuses on primary care, specialty services, the operating rooms and infusion center.

The hospital is already renovating sections of the building, like the old Emergency Room, that were replaced during Phase 1.

Project Manager Christine Smith says the plan is to create a one-stop-shop.

“You wouldn’t have to go across town to have physical therapy or into another town to have a follow up visit or a specialty, cardiology visit or an infusion or anything like that. It can all be done in one area.”

Highlights of Phase 1 included a brand new main entrance in the rear, the addition of Walk In care and a new ER with state of the art CT scan and MRI machines right outside of the department.

A $9 million state transformation grant along with a significant community capital campaign helped to pay for the $32 million first phase.

Director of Support Services Richard Stone says the ER is seeing much more usage and that patients appreciate the improved access to the building.

“It was cumbersome getting from the parking lot to the service that you were trying to get to. By redesigning the main entrance and creating separate entry points for the Emergency Room and the Walk In, a separate area for ambulances to come in, it allowed us to create parking areas closer to the doors, allowing people to get into the facility easier. And then once in the facility, getting from point A to point B has become a lot easier.”

Phase 3 will include renovations to the hospital geriatric care and nursing home located on the second floor.

Smith says that now that most of the money for Phase 2 has been secured, design work has begun with the goal of completing this portion over the next 5 years.