The Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center. By. V.I. CONSORTIUM
The Juan F. Luis Hospital announced Saturday that it has moved the Labor and Delivery unit, an action the hospital said was aimed at ensuring the care and safety of staff and patients after staff on duty reported concerns.
"The Labor and Delivery unit of the hospital was safely relocated to the Post-Partum unit on April 18, 2022. Assessments and terminal cleaning of the L&D unit have been implemented by the Facilities and the Environmental Services Team," JFL said in a release. "These interim procedures are ongoing as part of environmental safety measures."
The medical facility did not reveal the concerns shared by staff that caused it to immediately relocate the L&D, though there have been reports of mold affecting the unit.
"The hospital is presently in the process of procuring the services of a qualified vendor to complete comprehensive environmental cleaning and restoration of the L&D unit," stated the release. "The scope of services for this project will include pre and post remediation indoor air quality testing. The safety of our patients and staff continues to remain a top priority at the hospital as we manage the physical infrastructure challenges of this campus."
JFL CEO Doug Koch stated, "At JFL, patient and staff safety is top priority. We are following our internal mitigation plan along with all governing body protocols in this situation. Our leadership team acted quickly with no disruption in patient care. I am proud of their response time, and their unwavering commitment to their patients."
He added, "I am often asked about the status of JFL North. Every single one of us shares the same united goal of moving into our new structure as soon as possible. This project has obviously been delayed over the years, but every pathway is being explored to open this facility. We anticipate the move to JFL North later this year. The CMU building which houses all of the critical mechanical components to support JFL North is presently in the construction phase with a projected timeline for completion by the end of July.
"Once that is complete, the building needs to be commissioned and certified before we can move in. The exact timeline for these processes is yet unknown, but past experience shows that it will take a few months. We acknowledge the concerns and frustrations with the delays of this temporary hospital. The journey towards a new replacement hospital will be filled with highs and lows and also with questions and anticipation. We will travel this journey together. While we have experienced some setbacks, we know that brighter days are in front of us."
