The Agency, at the last Local Development Corporation Board Meeting voted to approve financial assistance through the issuance of bonds for United Health Services Hospitals’ expansion of their Wilson Medical Center campus in Johnson City. Plans for the expansion include the creation of a new emergency department, purchase of a new MRI unit, and the renovation of patient rooms to create 30 new private rooms and open up the possibility to develop more private rooms in the future. The project came to the Agency as proof of UHS’ commitment to improve access to healthcare in the region as a part of Wilson’s Facility Master Plan. This project will assist Wilson to meet the advancing technological needs of the health care system and more effectively meet the needs of their patients as well.
The Wilson campus was originally constructed in 1949 with its most recent major renovation completed in 1989. Currently, Wilson is a 280-bed acute care facility and the Southern Tier’s only critical care hospital. The New York State department of Health has designated the medical center as a level II trauma center, in addition to being a primary stroke center, level III perinatal center, regional cardiac center, regional neurosurgical center and regional neonatal center. Wilson Medical Center is essential to our community. The project will primarily be focused on the construction of the 6 story addition, including the new emergency department, in addition to the renovation of the current facility. The renovations to the emergency department will relieve issues of overcrowding and allow UHS to direct their trauma-based emergency department needs to their Wilson campus so that the emergency department at Binghamton General Hospital can focus on emergency situations regarding behavioral health issues. In addition to the creation of 100 new jobs, UHS believes this project will allow them to lower the costs of their services for their patients due to the increase in efficiency in patient treatment. To see the services currently offered by UHS Wilson, click here.