Saint Raphael’s Opens Renovated Short-Term Surgery Unit

NEW HAVEN — The Hospital of Saint Raphael unveiled its newly renovated Cronin Short-Term Surgery Unit on October 5, marking a milestone in the hospital’s commitment to provide the most technologically advanced outpatient care in the region.

The new $1.5 million unit, named for longtime Saint Raphael’s benefactors Lorraine Cronin and the late Dr Robert Cronin, features larger preoperative patient areas and exam rooms and state-of-the-art patient monitoring and tracking systems. The renovations expanded the Short-Term Surgery Unit to 4,500 square feet and added nine more patient areas, for a total of 19.

“Short-term surgery is increasing in patient volume as more and more procedures are being handled on an outpatient basis,” said Bob Boebert, director of Perioperative Services. “This new unit allows Saint Raphael’s to grow significantly in this area because it enables us to serve more patients and improve patient flow.”

The new unit’s larger rooms and wider hallways allow for the latest in preoperative technology and easier transportation of patients to the operating room. A new electronic tracking system keeps surgeons, nurses, support staff, and family members informed of a patient’s progress on a moment-by-moment basis.

Loved ones are informed in a timely fashion when surgery is completed and patients are ready for visitors in the recovery area. The new unit also has a separate exit to ensure patient privacy.

Saint Raphael’s surgeons last year performed more than 11,000 short-term surgeries, defined as procedures requiring no overnight hospital stay. Many of the procedures were orthopedic surgeries and ear, nose, and throat surgeries such as the insertion of ear tubes and tonsil removal.