Shriners Hospital Breaks Ground on $74 Million Project

Local and national Shriners International officials, together with Shriners Hospitals for Children staff will break ground on Portland’s Marquam Hill on Sept. 13. The ceremonial groundbreaking and cornerstone laying ceremony will be held at Shriners Hospitals for Children at 3101 SW Sam Jackson Park Road at 1 p.m. The ceremony officially marks the beginning of a $74 million project that will add new space to the hospital, as well as remodel parts of the existing facility.

The hospital building addition will enhance clinical care for current patients and enable more children from the Pacific Northwest to receive the expert pediatric specialty care provided by Shriners Hospitals. Located adjacent to Oregon Health and Sciences University, the hospital is staffed by pediatric orthopedic surgeons, including Chief of Staff Michael Aiona, M.D., along with more than 70 consulting physicians, all who hold faculty appointments in the pediatric and orthopaedic departments at the university.

“The proximity of Shriners Hospital to the resources of Oregon Health and Sciences University, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and other facilities means we can be more effective in providing care to our children and more fully collaborate in the ongoing research and education initiatives,” said Dr. Aiona.

Plans for the addition include 29 inpatient beds, three surgical suites and 24 clinic examination rooms. The 66,000-square-foot addition will increase space for basic science research and add more room for same-day surgery patients. Other additions include private rooms and guest quarters for patients’ families.

“We are thrilled that this addition will enable us to continue our mission of helping kids defy the odds,” said Hospital Administrator Richard M Cagen. “We strive for excellence in providing family-centered care in state-of-the-art facilities.”

The hospital has contracted with SRG Architectural firm and Andersen Construction Company for the building and renovation. The addition is scheduled to be completed in March 2010, and renovation is expected to be completed January 2011. The hospital will remain fully functional for the duration of the project.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is a one-of-a-kind pediatric health care system dedicated to improving the lives of children through innovative research, education of medical professionals, and specialized treatment of orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate. With 22 hospitals in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, Shriners Hospitals is committed to providing expert, family-centered care at no charge.

Shriners Hospitals for Children — Portland specializes in orthopaedic care, serving more than 10,000 children from the Pacific Northwest. The Portland Shriners Hospital is respected for its care in spinal deformities, such as scoliosis, and clubfoot, leg-length discrepancies and hip conditions as well as for providing orthotics, prosthetics and more. For more information, please visit www.shrinershospitals.org.