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John Muir expansion takes shape

'Topping out' celebrates John Muir Concord Campus' ambitious expansion

February 2009
The Concordian
By André Gensburger

The painted white girder, the last in the initial construction phase of the John Muir Health Medical Center's Concord campus expansion, became the focal point in the construction's "Topping Out" ceremony Jan. 9.

From about 700 A.D., with origins in Scandinavia, it became customary to top out new construction with sheaths of grain for good luck. The Vikings spread this custom to Europe, with the Britons and Germans substituting small trees. Americans added a flag to complete the custom.

The estimated $179 million for this part of the project has received much philanthropic attention, including an ambitious fund-raising project spearheaded by campaign chair Michael L. Levine, an oncologist with heavy ties to the John Muir Health Foundation.

The goal of $56 million in fund-raising is well underway, currently at $28.6 million, through a variety of naming opportunities.

A rich history Levine joined the Concord medical staff in 1978 and was on the Mt. Diablo Hospital Board prior to its unification with the Walnut Creek campus under the John Muir Health banner.

He has played a prominent role in the development of the Radiation Oncology Department for Concord.

"I've been here for 30 years," Levine said. "I've seen lots of wonderful growth over time as this region has grown. It was just a small house when it started in 1930." It was, in fact, a wood-frame house which was turned into a five-bed facility by nurse Edna Gallagher Haywood.

Thirty years later, with a four-story addition, it became Concord's tallest building. In 1973, it had the first elevator in the county installed and the county's first cardiac catheterization was performed onsite.

The hospital continued over the years to accumulate awards for services rendered to the community in areas such as being a stroke center, cancer institute and robotic surgical center.

"When I came here, it was a sleepy area with a large horse population," Levine recalled of his arrival from Illinois. "Like many others, I trained at nearby UC San Francisco, getting a taste of the Bay Area. I was anxious to stay."

A stronger community Levine explained his pride in the foundation, which in his view exemplifies a solid investment in the community.

"This is the largest project of its kind," he said of the Concord project and a similar one in the works at the Walnut Creek campus. "When you make this $800 million (combined) commitment to the community, even in these challenging economic times, it makes a strong statement. We've had quite a legacy. That is so inspiring to me."

The new structure, a patient care tower and the John Muir Cardiovascular Institute, will have 12 private cardiovascular ICU beds, 49 private remotely monitored beds, four cardiac catheterization labs and 12 preoperative/ recovery beds.

Included in the work is an expansion of the Emergency Department with 32 private treatment stations, a satellite imaging center as well as a dedicated chest pain/observation unit, remodeled critical care and nursing units and 61 new private family-centered rooms with outdoor views.

The John Muir Medical Center Concord Campus has been recognized as a preeminent center for oncology and cardiovascular services, including open-heart surgery. In 2008 HealthGrades, an independent health care quality company ranked the Concord campus among the top five percent of hospitals nationally. The Walnut Creek Campus was ranked one of "America's Best Hospitals 2008" by U.S. News & World Report.

Grassroots effort At the topping out ceremony, benefactors, local dignitaries and community leaders joined the physicians, nurses, construction workers and visitors, writing messages on the white steel beam before it was hoisted into place by a large crane.

Ken Meehan, executive vice president of operations for John Muir Health, addressed the crowd - describing how a collective vision brought them to this point. "It's been 11 months since we broke ground," he noted.

Michael Monaldo, vice president of facilities development at John Muir Health, thanked the city of Concord.

"They helped make it better," he said, discussing the more than 2,000 sheets of drawings that went into the project.

He also thanked the neighbors for their patience during the work.

"This is a grassroots campaign," Levine said before the ceremony. "It reaches everyone in the community and we hope to see a wider participation as we continue."

Concerned about the economy and funding cuts from various sources, Levine stressed the importance of having the backing of the community. "The people in this region have been very supportive. I am very impressed and very excited."

The John Muir Health Foundation is a 501©(3) nonprofit organization established in 1979 to support the nonprofit John Muir Health organization which serves communities in Contra Costa and parts of Solano and Marin counties.

"Both hospitals need to expand to address current capacity pressures and accommodate emerging medical technologies," Levine said.

For more information, visit www.johnmuirhealthfoundation.org or call 947-4459.

(Posted February 1, 2009)