GOUVERNEUR -- Gouverneur Hospital will soon open an ambulatory surgery unit for patients undergoing surgery where they will be discharged the day of the procedure.

“Formerly, patients had to be wheeled from the first floor to the second floor, which involved a long trip through public areas,” said Marlinda L. LaValley, the hospital’s CEO.

“Now patients are prepared for and recover from surgery right next to the operating rooms, with a modern nursing station at the entrance to the unit,” she said. “It’s a big investment in privacy and convenience, and our patients and their families will appreciate the spacious, newly painted rooms with a view of the river.”

The unit provides four private and semi-private rooms with their own bathrooms for patients undergoing same-day surgical procedures. Directly adjacent to the operating rooms, LaValley says the unit is designed to provide privacy to patients and a waiting area for families nearby, as well as convenience for surgeons and the entire treatment team.

Gouverneur Hospital renovated the space as part of its “plan for enhancing patient services and improving access to specialist surgical services in Gouverneur,” LaValley said.

The facility will celebrate the opening of its ambulatory surgery unit with an open house on Thursday, Oct. 22 from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

The Gouverneur Hospital Auxiliary will provide light refreshments. Formal program will start around 4:45 p.m. a tour the of unit afterward. The event is free and open to the public.

More info: www.gvnrhospital.org 287-1000.