McCarthy Building Companies, one of the nation’s largest health care contractors, andHKS Architects, Inc., have completed the expansion of the surgical center and construction of the new patient tower at Erlanger East Hospital in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Completed one month ahead of schedule, the $50 million expansion transforms Erlanger East Hospital into the region’s first lifestyle hospital. The project includes four new operating rooms, a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) expansion, a pre- and post-op expansion, a new cardiovascular interventional radiology suite, and renovations to the reception and administrative areas. The new 58-bed patient tower, which includes a 6-bed Intensive Care Unit, could be mistaken for a hotel, with larger, modern patient rooms that can accommodate patients’ families, and expanded food service operations. Outside, the community can enjoy a campus-wide walking trail, putting green and playground. 

“Erlanger East Hospital is a critical medical resource for the area,” said Erlanger Health System President and CEO Kevin M. Spiegel. “These improvements to our facilities will help our patients and their families focus on what is most important –treatment and recovery – in an environment that is comfortable, welcoming and state of the art.”

“Chattanooga is a rapidly expanding hub for health care,” said McCarthy Project Executive Mark Allnutt. “We are honored to have delivered a facility that will provide the highest quality medical care to individuals and families in the tri-state region.”

Additionally, McCarthy showed its appreciation to the community by completing a Heart Hats project at the Oncology Center at the Erlanger Baroness campus. For two days, McCarthy employees, Erlanger Health System volunteers and patients brought new life to the Oncology Center’s Healing Garden with new landscaping, added seating, a water fountain and the addition of a small bridge to helppatients undergoing therapy and treatment relax.  

Erlanger East will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 1:30 p.m., to celebrate the completion of the expansion to the surgical center and new patient tower.

More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.