Oneida County Invests $500,000 in Rome Health Hybrid Operating Room

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. presented Rome Health President/CEO AnneMarie Czyz, RN with $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds Wednesday, Jan. 22 to invest in a hybrid operating room as part of its capital project to replace Rome Health’s aging operating rooms and ICU.

The Kaplan Center for Surgical Services and a new 9-bed-ICU are currently under construction and are expected to open in Spring 2025.

“We are deeply grateful to County Executive Anthony Picente for his unwavering support of Rome Health and our vision to expand local access to advanced interventional and surgical procedures,” said Rome Health President | Chief Executive Officer AnneMarie Czyz, EdD., RN, NEA-BC. “Thank you for helping Rome Health create an environment that attracts and retains expert specialists to provide the highest quality care that is easily accessible for our community.”

"Oneida County is committed to ensuring that ARPA funds are invested in projects that directly benefit our residents and enhance essential services, like the $3 million that we provided to Rome Health for the Women’s Surgical Suite in 2022. The creation of a hybrid room at Rome Health will expand access to advanced surgical and interventional services for county residents and helps secure Rome Health’s future as a leader in accessible, innovative healthcare solutions."

“The timing of this funding is crucial to the success of our ongoing expansion,” Czyz said.  “The funding will enable the hospital to modify one of the four new surgical suites currently under construction to create a hybrid operating room for more complex procedures.  A hybrid OR accommodates more technology and larger teams of specialists to perform advanced interventional and surgical procedures.”

According to Czyz, members of the medical staff advocated for a hybrid room to bring more advanced procedures and specialists to Rome. “The county’s investment enables us to accelerate our plans and demonstrates to other potential funding sources that this project has broad community support,” Czyz said.

The hospital is in the midst of constructing a 30,000 square-foot, three-floor addition on the north side of the hospital for new surgical suites and an ICU to enhance the experience for patients and their families while supporting the care team in delivering the best care out there here.  The hospital engaged its architect King & King and general contractor Hayner Hoyt to modify existing plans to accommodate the future needs of a hybrid room.

The capital project is being funded through a partnership of more than $29.5 million, in public funding, including the ARPA allocation, and $15.3 million in private philanthropy through the Rome Health Foundation.

About Rome Health

Rome Health is a non-profit health care system based in Rome, N.Y., providing services to patients throughout Central New York.  From primary and specialty care to long-term care, Rome Health delivers quality, compassionate medical care for every stage of life.  We are a comprehensive health care system that connects you to the best clinicians and the latest technologies so they are easily accessible to you and your family.  Rome Health is an affiliate of St. Joseph’s Health and an affiliated clinical site of New York Medical College.