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Bon Secours Harbour View Medical Center held its ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, May 5, where they welcomed members of the Bon Secours family as well as local and state officials to view the completed building. The first patient is expected on Wednesday, May 6.

Market President for Bon Secours Hampton Roads Pat Davis-Hagens said the vision for this building started 10 years ago.

“We want it to be a place of hope and healing and a bold vision for the future,” she said during the ceremony. “Today is the result of years of collaboration, hard work, strategic foresight and deep initiated commitment to improving health and well being of the communities that we serve. What we’re opening today isn’t just an expanded hospital, it’s a place where lives have changed, families will find support, and neighbors will be cared for with excellence and compassion.”

Erin Clark-Lupo provided a blessing for the Center as the mission vice president of Bon Secours Hampton Roads.

Bon Secours Harbour View Medical Center President Andy Spicknall spoke about the building’s “state of the art” innovative technology and use of artificial intelligence that allow nurses to spend more time with their patients.

Spicknall said that completing this project is personal for him, as he was part of the center’s original planning process. 

“This expansion will transform an already robust ambulatory campus into a comprehensive medical facility,” he said.

The Center has 18 private inpatient rooms, four operating rooms, and integrates the existing emergency department, imaging center, and lab services on one campus.

“What that means for our patients is, for those who need surgery or need to be admitted to the hospital, those patients no longer have to travel long distances or travel to another city to receive care,” Spicknall said.

The Center also features Bon Secours Mercy Health’s first “smart” hospital room, which uses “next-generation AI-powered technology.” 

All inpatient rooms are equipped with electronic white boards that will display information about the patient’s care team, the patient’s care plan, medication information, what labs have been performed and when results can be expected.

There are also sensors in each inpatient room to allow for increased patient safety. Sensors will alert nurses in real time to potential safety risks, such as a high fall-risk patient attempting to get out of bed on their own.

“All of this technology comes together to keep patients informed about their care, to help keep patients safe, and allows our nurses to spend more time at the bedside with their patients and less time on administrative tasks,” Spicknall said.

Charlie Fairchild, vice chair of the Bon Secours Hampton Roads Board of Directors, said the opening of the Center is a “proud moment” not only for Suffolk but for the entire Hampton Roads region.

“As someone who has spent her life mentoring others, I often remind people it’s not just about what you build, it’s about who you build it for, and this hospital was built for all of us,” she said.

Fairchild spoke about how while innovative technology is crucial, it’s nothing without “compassionate caregivers” using it, and that is what sets Bon Secours apart, she said.

“It’s not just about smarter rooms, it’s about stronger relationships. It’s about creating an environment where people feel seen, heard, and valued from the moment they walk through our doors,” she said. “You’ve heard today about the innovation, the smart rooms, the technology that’s making this one of the most advanced hospitals in the region, that matters, but so does the heart behind it.”