Rome Health will open its new 18-bay Preoperative and Postoperative Procedure unit adjacent to the Kaplan Center for Surgical Services on April 6, completing Phase II of the hospital’s $45.7 million capital improvement project.
The opening marks a significant change in how surgical care is delivered at Rome Health. The redesign brings pre- and post-surgical spaces next to the operating rooms, aiming to improve efficiency, coordination, and patient comfort by eliminating the need for patients and care teams to travel between floors before procedures.
Before this renovation, patients were prepared for surgery on the fourth floor before being transported to operating rooms on the first floor. Surgeons, anesthesiologists, and care teams often traveled between floors multiple times each day. With the new layout, these spaces are now directly adjacent to each other, which streamlines care and reduces delays.
“This is a transformational improvement for both patients and care teams,” said Rome Health President and Chief Executive Officer AnneMarie Czyz. “Bringing pre-operative and recovery care next to our operating rooms improves communication, enhances patient comfort, and allows our teams to focus more time on care rather than moving between floors. It’s a smarter, more patient-centered design that supports the future of surgical care at Rome Health.”
The newly designed unit features 18 patient bays used for both preparation before surgery and recovery after procedures. According to Chief Nursing Officer Ashley Edwards: “Opening a new clinical space requires extensive preparation to ensure a smooth transition for patients and team members… We engaged stakeholders early in the design process to create a space and workflow that enhances communication, improves efficiency, and ultimately delivers a better experience for our patients.”
The renovation updates an area originally opened in 1967 as part of an earlier hospital expansion. The new unit complements recent additions such as four state-of-the-art operating rooms in the Kaplan Center for Surgical Services—opened last July—and supports advanced surgical techniques including minimally invasive procedures.
Funding comes from public support—including grants from New York State Healthcare Facility Transformation Grant program—and private philanthropy led by Charles and Florence Kaplan’s $5 million gift naming the Kaplan Center.
Phase III of Rome Health’s capital project will focus on modern clinical support spaces with completion expected by September 2026. “Together, these improvements represent one of the most significant investments in Rome Health’s history and reinforce the hospital’s commitment to delivering advanced care close to home,” Czyz said.
