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Beaver, PA – (April 23, 2008) – The Heritage Valley Health System Board of Directors has approved plans to construct a new building at the Heritage Valley Beaver campus. This new building addition will include an Emergency Department, Gastrointestinal Laboratory (GI Lab) and shell space for future expansion. The project also includes a new Heart and Vascular Center to be located in the current Emergency Department space. The total costs for the overall project will be $20 million.

The new Emergency Department space will expand rooms and beds from 26 to 42, square footage from 12,900 to 24,689 and capacity visits from 26,000 to at least 65,000. The new building and design will also include a children’s playroom, decontamination room, digital x-ray services, an additional triage room and additional isolation and bereavement rooms. Furthermore, the new GI Lab space will triple the square footage of the current lab, add a much needed fourth lab and greatly expand the patient waiting area.

The current Emergency Department space will ultimately be renovated for a future Heart and Vascular Center. Included changes for this area are an additional cath lab and patient care space that is double the size that is currently used, and another shelled cath lab. The new space will allow for expanded services including electrophysiological (EP) diagnostic testing, implantable cardioverter & defibrillator devices (ICD), and permanent pacemaker insertions, ablation procedures for abnormal heart rhythms, abdominal aortic aneurysm stent, and emphasis on peripheral interventions.

The building addition will add a new dimension to the main entrance at the Beaver campus. A multi-story glass atrium will surround two additional elevators for access to the upper levels of the addition as well as a staircase that a will access the second floor. An open-air garden will remain between the current building and the addition allowing natural light and an aesthetically pleasing garden to be viewed from the new Outpatient Test Center.

Construction on the new Heritage Valley Beaver building will begin this July with an expected completion date of July 2009. The renovations to the current Emergency Department space that will follow are expected to conclude in December 2009.

This project follows the previously approved renovation project to the Heritage Valley Sewickley Emergency Department. Construction for that project is underway and is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2009.

Visitors to the Heritage Valley website can now keep abreast of both Emergency Department projects by visiting www.heritagevalley.org and clicking on the “Emergency Departments Construction Updates” button on the left side of the homepage. Visitors to this site can see future architectural renderings and view the latest construction photos.

About Heritage Valley Health System

Heritage Valley Health System provides comprehensive health care for residents of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties, in Pennsylvania; eastern Ohio; and the panhandle of West Virginia. In partnership with more than 400 physicians, Heritage Valley offers a broad range of medical, surgical and diagnostic services at its two hospitals, Heritage Valley Beaver, and Heritage Valley Sewickley; in physician offices; and community satellite facilities. Additional information about Heritage Valley Health System is available online at www.heritagevalley.org.