MDG starts renovations to improve facility

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kathleen D. Bryant
  • 23d Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (Jan. 28, 2015) --  The 23d Medical Group began an 18-month construction project on their multi-departmental medical facility Jan. 12, here.

During the renovations, which are expected to provide a newer and cost-effective medical facility for patients, all services at the 23d MDG will remain operational. 

"We brought in functional people during the planning process to incorporate their point of view into the design," said Terrance Haney, 23rd Medical Support Squadron chief of facility operations. "For example, during the pharmacy planning, a pharmacist was brought in and asked how to make the workspace better, to increase the speed of service and patient satisfaction."

This clinic modernization includes improving the facilities layout by enlarging and reorganizing most of the departments to accommodate each clinic's needs, such as the lobby.

"Our current lobby area becomes heavily congested during peak hours and wait times increase significantly," said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Allan Hogan, 23d MDG NCO in charge of pharmacy services. "The renovation is expected to improve these wait times and overall patient satisfaction."

By expanding the waiting areas and adding new state-of-the-art equipment, it could increase the quality of patient care, according to Haney.

"If you wait at the pharmacy now, you might notice it's out in the middle, it's cramped and people are elbow-to-elbow," said Haney. "The waiting areas will be modernized in order to enhance the patient's experience."

Construction is mostly scheduled for non-operating hours to minimize disruption to patient care, but due to condensed workspace, wait times may temporarily increase.

"The patients are here because there's something wrong, they don't necessarily feel well," said Haney. "Anything we can do to make it easier, we try to do."

During the construction project, public notifications and signs will be available throughout the clinic in the event of any changes or clinics being relocated.