Kootenai Health has started construction of a $37.3 million heart center expansion on its main hospital campus in Coeur d’Alene.

The heart center will grow to 13 operating rooms from 11 and expand to five procedure rooms from three to meet the needs of the growing population, says Jeremy Evans, chief regional operations officer for Kootenai Health, in an emailed statement.

Construction of the three-story, 21,000-square-foot addition, at 2003 N. Kootenai Health Way, started in September and is expected to be substantially complete in July 2023, Evans says. 

Spokane-based NAC Architecture is the project architect. Bouten Construction Co., of Spokane, is the contractor. MW Consulting Engineers PS, of Spokane, is providing engineering services.

Evans says the first and third floors will be vacant and will leave room for future expansion and growth, while the second floor will hold pre- and post-procedure patient care space, diagnostic support space, and the two new procedure rooms. The new operating rooms will be located on the second floor of the main hospital, above the current cafeteria and kitchen.

A temporary kitchen will be set up while the main kitchen closes for three months during the construction of the two operating rooms.

The center also will upgrade equipment in the current operating rooms and in the electrophysiology and catheterization labs, Evans says.

Financing for the heart center expansion project is provided by a combination of operating cash, debt, and donations through the Kootenai Health Foundation, he says.

Diane Penkert, executive director of heart and vascular services for Kootenai Health, says the heart center will need to hire six more technologists, six more nurses, and three additional support staff once the project is completed. About 80 employees currently work at the heart center.

Kootenai Health Heart Center provides catheterization laboratory services in addition to electrophysiology, interventional radiology, echocardiology, electrocardiogram, and cardiac rehabilitation services.

Kootenai Health is a 331-bed hospital established in 1956 in Coeur d’Alene. Between 2019 and 2020, the hospital’s operating budget increased $80.9 million for a total budget of $630.6 million in 2020. Patient admissions totaled 14,387 in 2020, up slightly from 2019, according to information provided to the Journal.

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