Sanford Orthopedic Hospital, Highpoint Hotel ready to begin operations

The first patients will be seen in less than one month at the new Sanford Orthopedic Hospital on the campus of Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls.

The nine-story, 161,000-square-foot building is putting the finishing touches on a construction project that first broke ground in June 2022 after being announced more than two years prior.

“When renderings become reality is when it really is amazing to see,” said Kris Denevan, vice president of facilities and support services. “It’s definitely getting ready for opening.”

The first patients will be seen in the building on Jan. 12.

“It’s really awesome to see the clinicians and all the support staff who are going to work here and their reaction,” Denevan added. “It’s brighter and has access to natural light, but just the expansion of spaces that we really needed due to our high volume in surgical services has been a welcome relief to campus and for our patients.”

The new addition includes 12 operating rooms, and with the MRI attached directly to an OR, patients can receive screening during surgery.

“December is traditionally our busiest month, but we are popping at the seams right now in terms of our OR access,” said Kathy Schuler, vice president of operations of surgical and digestive health services.

The new addition will mean there are 47 operating rooms across the campus.

“Today, we could probably use all of them,” Schuler said. “So it’s going to improve patient throughput and reduce wait times for patients who historically may have had to wait a month or more to get in and see us.”

The state’s first intraoperative MR “is really going to be advantageous from a patient safety and reliability perspective,” Schuler continued, adding that currently patients are transported through the hospital while intubated in surgery when an MRI is needed.

“This allows us to open the door, slide them in and get them right back in the OR,” she said. “It will primarily be used for neurosurgery, but we can use it for orthopedics cases as well. … Instead of having to rely on pre- and post-op scans, you can get that in the moment, so it’s really great.”

About 70 percent of orthopedic cases are outpatient, so the new building also includes 35 rooms designed to serve patients both before and after procedures, while expanding physical therapy nearby is designed to enhance recovery before discharge.

There will be 30 orthopedic physicians and 35 advanced practice providers working out of the building when it opens, plus room for growth.

“With the existing service lines also having growth needs, they will automatically backfill the existing space,” Schuler said. “We’ve added several surgeons in the last three to five years, and we’ll continue to add surgeon recruitment in all our spaces.”

The building, which was designed by Chicago-based HKS and Sioux Falls-based Architecture Incorporated, was built by Henry Carlson Construction.

“This building has a very different look and feel, and a modern exterior,” Denevan said. “Inside, it’s updated finishes. We’ve improved our staff support spaces, and I think the building appearance, especially in the evening, is very impressive with all the glass facade.”

Reaching 137 feet in the air, it’s the highest building on the campus, which is reflected in the hotel that occupies floors six and seven. The Highpoint Hotel is a boutique hotel developed and operated by Sioux Falls-based Hegg Cos.

Its 56 guest rooms are open to the public and include 10 suites, eight ADA-accessible rooms and seven hearing-impaired rooms.

“They’re a really fantastic partner, and it is huge (to have hotel space available). We’ve got the need,” Denevan said, noting that “the convenience for our patients and visiting providers” is significant.

“We have so many needs on campus for lodging. This will be really nice for our surgical services patients and families, our Castle (Sanford Children’s Hospital) families and any of our visiting families on campus.”

The first guests also can stay at the hotel on Jan. 12.

“We have our first couple reservations on the books,” said Dione Deuel, chief operating officer of hospitality and director of brand experience at Hegg Cos., adding that she sees it as a fit for people in rural communities coming to the hospital, “as well as with the inclement weather we’ve experienced, I think nurses and doctors outside of Sioux Falls will utilize it as well.”

A bar in the fourth-floor lobby will offer small plates, and breakfast also will be served. There’s also a state-of-the-art exercise facility and loyalty program.

“It’s a high-end, modern feel,” Deuel said. Reservations can be made here.

Construction on the hospital campus isn’t finished, though.

Early next year, renovations will start on 44,000 square feet in the existing surgical tower, including modernizing and expanding the front entry.

“The entire front area and arrival space will change dramatically in January,” Denevan said. “When you add 12 ORs and have an increase in visitors waiting for surgical patients, you need to add onto the waiting space.”

The lower-level sterile processing department also will be renovated and expanded to meet the demands of increased volumes.

That space will be the last to get finished, with targeted completion into 2027.

Patients will continue to use the entrance to the surgical tower for orthopedic surgeries. The main entrance to the expansion is designated for the hotel.

“It’s kind of like changing the oil while the engine is running,” Denevan said. “You have to make sure operations continue while you’re making improvements.” View the story on Sioux Falls Business.