When a healthcare facility needs to double its surgical capacity, the construction team needs to understand the unique requirements of operating room environments — from specialized HVAC systems to precise electrical specifications to infection control protocols during construction.
Prost Builders recently completed a major expansion at the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center in Columbia, adding six new operating rooms and twenty-four new patient rooms to the facility.
Why Healthcare Construction Is Different
Operating rooms aren’t standard construction. They require precise climate control to maintain sterile environments, specialized electrical systems to support medical equipment, and careful coordination to keep construction dust and disruption away from active patient care areas.
The Ellis Fischel expansion doubled the center’s surgery capacity — a significant undertaking that required both technical expertise and careful planning to minimize impact on ongoing cancer treatment operations.
Building While Operations Continue
One of the biggest challenges in healthcare construction is phasing work so the existing facility can continue serving patients without interruption. Construction noise, dust, vibration, and access restrictions all have to be managed around active medical operations.
For cancer patients undergoing treatment, maintaining a clean, safe environment is critical. Construction sequences have to account for infection control protocols, air quality management, and patient safety throughout the project.
Patient Room Design Matters
The addition includes twenty-four new patient rooms designed specifically for post-surgical cancer care. These rooms require different infrastructure than standard hospital rooms — specialized medical gas systems, nurse call integration, and layouts that accommodate both patient care and family support.
Getting these details right during construction means fewer problems during facility operations and better outcomes for patients and medical staff.
Why Specialized Experience Matters
If you’re planning a healthcare facility expansion, renovation, or new construction, your contractor needs demonstrated experience with medical facilities. Generic commercial construction experience doesn’t translate well when you’re dealing with operating rooms, patient care areas, and the regulatory requirements that come with healthcare projects.
Prost Builders has delivered healthcare projects across Missouri for over 75 years, including hospital additions, medical office buildings, and specialized treatment facilities. We understand the unique requirements these projects demand.
Planning a healthcare construction project? Contact us to discuss how we approach medical facility construction and expansion.