On May 26, the governing board of directors of Fremont-Rideout Health Group (FRHG), approved the plans and funding for a significant expansion of Rideout Memorial Hospital.

The Marysville campus will soon occupy six blocks and include a new six-story acute care hospital contiguous to the current structure, a near doubling of the size of the Fremont-Rideout Cancer Center, and a major expansion of the Rideout Emergency Department, which currently serves nearly 55,000 patients a year.

The entire expansion project, to be completed by January 2015, is budgeted at $225 million, of which $150 million will be financed.

Rideout Memorial, a Level III Trauma and STEMI Receiving Center, is the designated Emergency Department serving patients in Yuba, Sutter and Colusa Counties, and from those parts of Nevada, Butte and Placer Counties that are closer to the Marysville hospital than facilities in Chico, Roseville or Davis. The Fremont-Rideout Cancer Center, a decade-long joint venture with UC Davis Medical Center, has been the model for other cancer care facilities around the state, and continues to offer advanced care and breakthrough treatment options to its patients.

The new Rideout Memorial Hospital building and tower will include all private rooms for patients, a two-floor – Women & Infants maternity center, a new imaging center and a rooftop heliport for Life Flight operations.

The Rideout Emergency Dept. will grow to 17,000 square feet and 37 beds and include a Rapid Care room, an additional Triage room, a dedicated radiology room and remodeled waiting area. The Fremont-Rideout Cancer Center expansion, which will break ground on August 3 and be completed by fall of next year, will add more than 16,000 square feet, 11 more transfusion bays, 6 more exam rooms, a second linear Accelerator, a new PET CT and new ultrasound machine.

“The new construction, expanded facilities and integrated campus will complete the transformation of our network of healthcare services into a regional medical center, realizing the vision long held by our leadership, our staff and our many supporters,” said Terri Hamilton, Fremont-Rideout’s CEO. “It’s been made possible by the hard work and dedication of the entire Fremont-Rideout team — more than 265 physicians and 1,800 staff — who deliver quality patient care to all in need, and who have helped produce income and new revenues this year that far exceeded our ambitious goals. Results that enable a non-profit community organization like Fremont-Rideout to secure $150 million in funding for the new hospital building, which alone will cost $200 million.”

“The Board’s approval reflects our confidence in the plan and the people who are driving this major, much-needed project,” said John Weiler, Chairman of the Board. “We were further convinced by the strong operational results this year that have put Fremont-Rideout on a firm financial footing.”

Site and prep work began in June, with foundation and steel scheduled to begin in October. The Cancer Center will be completed by fall 2012. The expanded Emergency Dept. will be fully operational by fall 2013. The new hospital building will open and receive patients in January 2015. All patient services at Rideout Memorial, the Emergency Department and at the Cancer Center will continue without interruption during the entire expansion phase. Free Valet parking is available.

More information about the medical center expansion, including a detailed site map, can be found on FRHG’s website at www.FRHG.org.