Aurora Pavilion opens 12-bed expansion unit

Cutting the ribbon on Aurora Pavilion's new expansion were, from left to right: Sally Perry, director of needs assessment and referral; Dick Dewar, Aiken City councilman; Carlos Milanes, Aiken Regional Medical Centers CEO; Rachel Ryan, Aurora Pavilion CEO; Debbie Osteen, president of the behavioral health division of University Health Services; John Willingham, regional vice president of Universal Health Services; and Robert Schwartz, director of business development at Aurora Pavilion. Staff photo by Anna Dolianitis.

Aiken Regional Medical Centers celebrated the opening of Aurora Pavilion Behavioral Health Services' recently completed 10,000-square-foot wing expansion with an open house Thursday evening.

Among a crowd of hospital employees, community leaders and representatives of area mental health organizations, administrators cut a ribbon symbolizing the official opening of the new wing, which will be able to begin being used as early as today, Aurora CEO Rachel Ryan said.

Aurora, ARMC's acute care center for people suffering from depression, anxiety, substance abuse and other mental health issues, added 12 beds to its facility, which will open up space in the existing facilities to be used by other patients.

"We want to be able to continue to provide quality health care to our community, and we saw a need for geriatric and child and adolescent beds, and we wanted to do what we could do to meet those needs," Ryan said. "As we move the seniors over here, we'll be able to have some more room for our child and adolescent populations, as well, so we're excited about being able to treat those populations."

The new wing also offers two group rooms, large open spaces, laundry rooms, soaking tub rooms, geriatric-appropriate seating, a courtyard and handicapped accessibility.

The staff will also increase by a few employees, both nurses and therapists, Ryan said.

"I hope we'll be able to provide more comfortable care for our patients," Ryan added.

Debbie Osteen, the president of the behavioral health division of Universal Health Services, the parent company of ARMC, said that while Aurora has built the new facility, what will really determine success is the staff.

"One in four young adults is in need of mental health services, which is a pretty staggering statistic, but there is still a reluctance and really a fear of seeking help. Hopefully, as they come into this building and throughout the rest of the hospital, they are going to see that it is a place where they can get help, and they can be back on the road to recovery," Osteen said.

Aurora Pavilion opened in September 1991, and, while renovations have been done to the building's interior, the 10,000-square-foot extension is the facility's first expansion.

Ryan and Osteen were joined by ARMC CEO Carlos Milanes, other hospital administrators and Aiken City Councilman Dick Dewar in cutting the ribbon.

Anna Dolianitis is a reporter for the Aiken Standard. She covers the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site, as well as court and legal matters affecting Aiken County. She has been with the Aiken Standard since August 2010.