South Shore Health System Inc

793 MAIN STREET PARKING EXPANSION PROJECT - SOUTH SHORE HOSPITAL – ENHANCING ACCESS TO CRITICAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES THROUGH CAMPUS PARKING EXPANSION SOUTH SHORE HOSPITAL (SSH), A 374-BED NOT-FOR-PROFIT INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY HOSPITAL LOCATED IN WEYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS, SEEKS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CRITICAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW PATIENT AND VISITOR PARKING FACILITY AT 793 MAIN STREET, WEYMOUTH, MA. THIS PROJECT IS SUPPORTED THROUGH COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING (CPF/CDS) AND ADDRESSES THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN PATIENT DEMAND EXPERIENCED BY SSH FOLLOWING THE CLOSURE OF SEVERAL HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION. SSH NOW OPERATES ONE OF THE BUSIEST EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS IN MASSACHUSETTS AND SERVES AS THE REGION’S ONLY LEVEL II TRAUMA CENTER. THE PROPOSED PROJECT CONSISTS OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW SURFACE PARKING LOT ON AN EXISTING SOUTH SHORE HEALTH-OWNED PARCEL LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE GRAYKEN CENTER FOR ADDICTION TREATMENT AND WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE MAIN HOSPITAL CAMPUS. THE PROJECT WILL CREATE APPROXIMATELY 135 NEW PARKING SPACES FOR PATIENTS, FAMILY MEMBERS, AND VISITORS, HELPING ADDRESS A CRITICAL OPERATIONAL BARRIER TO ACCESSING HEALTH CARE SERVICES. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO INCLUDE ASSOCIATED SITE IMPROVEMENTS, PARKING INFRASTRUCTURE, SECURITY FEATURES, LIGHTING, AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS. PRELIMINARY SITE PLANNING INDICATES THAT THE DEVELOPMENT CAN BE ACCOMMODATED ON THE EXISTING PROPERTY WHILE PROVIDING SUBSTANTIAL NEW PARKING CAPACITY. THE NEED FOR THIS PROJECT IS DRIVEN BY UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH IN PATIENT VOLUME AND THE LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO THE HOSPITAL CAMPUS. AS INPATIENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS CONTINUE TO RISE, PATIENTS AND FAMILIES FACE INCREASING CHALLENGES IN ACCESSING CONVENIENT PARKING DURING MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, EMERGENCY VISITS, AND INPATIENT STAYS. EXPANDED PARKING CAPACITY WILL IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY, REDUCE DELAYS AND STRESS ASSOCIATED WITH FINDING PARKING, SUPPORT TIMELY ARRIVAL FOR CARE, AND ENHANCE THE OVERALL PATIENT AND FAMILY EXPERIENCE. CPF/CDS FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,500,000 WILL SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION, SITE WORK, PARKING INFRASTRUCTURE, EQUIPMENT, AND RELATED PROJECT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PARKING EXPANSION. THE TOTAL PROJECT COST IS ESTIMATED AT $1,550,000, WITH SOUTH SHORE HEALTH SUPPORTING REMAINING PROJECT EXPENSES AND PLANNING ACTIVITIES THROUGH ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES. UPON COMPLETION, THIS PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH SHORE REGION, IMPROVE PATIENT FLOW AND CAMPUS ACCESSIBILITY, AND SUPPORT SOUTH SHORE HOSPITAL’S ONGOING EFFORTS TO MEET THE GROWING NEEDS OF A MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATION AFFECTED BY REGIONAL HEALTH CARE FACILITY CLOSURES. THE PROJECT REPRESENTS A STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN HEALTH CARE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL PROVIDE IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM BENEFITS FOR PATIENTS, FAMILIES, AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY.