Inova Lorton Healthplex to Open in January

Starting in January, Lortoners will no longer have to trek to the Inova Mount Vernon Hospital emergency room. Construction of the first phase of the long-awaited $13 million Lorton Healthplex will be complete in December, and the opening of the 24/7 emergency room facility is scheduled for the following month. 

"We project up to 8,000 visits per year in the first year. We think that's a little conservative, but that's the number that we're going with right now," said Barbara Doyle, senior vice president for the Inova Health System, to Patch. "That number will go up to 14,000 visits the second year as it catches on."

The Lorton Healthplex, which is located just off the Lorton Road exit off Interstate 95, is part of the Inova Mount Vernon hospital, and patients who need to stay the night will be transferred via ambulance to Mount Vernon. It will be the second Healthplex in Fairfax County, joining the Springfield facility, which opened in 2005. It will have 13 full-time employees and on-site/on-call physicians. 

The Lorton facility will also join Inova Fairfax Hospital in using the electronic medical record EpicCare program. 

"When the building opens the electronic medical record will be in operation, which is terrific, because as time goes by, a patient will have all of their records from Inova in one place," said Doyle. 

Inova started building the Lorton facility in February. In all, 90,000 cubic yards of dirt and debris have been moved from the site. 

"We're on time and on budget. The weather has really been on our side," said Doyle. "I think one of the concerns we had up front was weather-related. You can't get in there if there is snow and ice."

There are three construction phases for the Healthplex:

• Phase I: First-floor construction to house the 24/7 emergency room, 24-patient care bays, 16 in-patient waiting room capacity. Construction of a 25,000 square-foot second floor to accommodate future offices, operating rooms and an ambulatory surgery center.
• Phase II: The land is slated for three phases, which will be for the long-range future and based on community needs, that's when Inova will trigger the next growth phase, based on the community needs. Inova is looking at a five-story medical office building, which is pretty significant - 125,000 square feet. 
• Phase III: Construction of a four-story, 75,000 square foot building for medical-related services. Construction of a parking structure.

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