Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Diagnostic Laboratory Services are undergoing a major relocation and expansion project which will relocate most of VUMC’s clinical and anatomic pathology to an off-campus facility and renovate the main lab’s existing location on the fourth floor of The Vanderbilt Clinic (TVC).
“Our laboratory provides outstanding service and most of this work occurs in a space that was built in 1988. You can imagine at that time 33 years ago, the laboratory served a much smaller patient population and used less sophisticated technologies. We are now ready to embark on this lab transformation project,” said C. Wright Pinson, MBA, MD, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Health System Officer.
The project, recently approved by the Medical Center board, will relocate labs to 110,000 square feet of space (with an option for additional square feet) in Metro Center and renovate a footprint of 13,000 square feet on the main campus.
“The lab needs to move beyond its current walls to meet VUMC’s needs. Laboratory services are key to the delivery of high-quality patient care and personalized medicine. Investing in the capabilities of this critical function will allow for VUMC’s ongoing growth,” said Alice Coogan, MD, chair of the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology.
The new off-campus laboratory will include most of the anatomic pathology and laboratory medicine functions and will help improve lab operations systemwide by:
- Providing the lab with the space it needs to operate more efficiently, expand its test menu to serve VUMC better at lower costs, and retain and attract additional talent.
- Providing the opportunity for ongoing innovation in process, technology and culture.
- Creating capacity to support ongoing and future growth of the clinical enterprise.
The renovated on-campus lab will include testing services needed to meet the rapid testing needs of inpatient, emergency and perioperative patient care.
“The transformed laboratory facilities will enhance our ability to support excellent patient care and ultimately further VUMC’s mission of making health care personal for more patients,” said Ken Clarke, Senior Vice President for Laboratory Services. “Furthermore, this transformation will help us attract and retain talent, making VUMC a destination for the best and brightest in the industry.”
Clarke said he expects the move into the new off-site facility will occur in FY 2023 with renovations to TVC to follow.
