The Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) today announced that it has received a $50 million major gift from the Wynn Family Foundation that will further transform healthcare in the Mohawk Valley.
The gift – the largest in MVHS’s history – will directly support services for the new regional medical center in downtown Utica and allow MVHS to invest in innovation, technology and services beyond what was originally possible. In recognition of the Wynn family’s contribution, the regional medical center will be named The Wynn Hospital.
“This is an incredibly generous gift – one that will make an impact on thousands upon thousands of Mohawk Valley residents each year,” said Darlene Stromstad, FACHE, president and CEO of MVHS. “The funds will elevate The Wynn Hospital to greater heights and result in important service enhancements and lifesaving outcomes. I can’t thank the Wynn family enough for making this level of investment in the region, its people, its local families and its crucially important healthcare. This gift will have a lasting legacy on the Mohawk Valley.”
This momentous gift is intended to improve upon the healthcare services in the broader community, to include those within the new hospital, enhancements that would otherwise not be possible. It was the intention of the Wynn family to leave a lasting legacy of state-of-the-art healthcare on the community where it all started for Steve Wynn.
“Our family has deep roots in Utica,” said Steve Wynn. “I have everlasting and fond memories of my childhood in the community, which provided a strong foundation for the rest of my life. This is my way of thanking the community and recognizing my parents.” The Wynns are frequent visitors to this region of New York State. Andrea Wynn is president of The Wynn Family Foundation.
“This is our way of giving back to the people of the Mohawk Valley,” said Steve Wynn. “At the same time, we are committed to advancing healthcare through philanthropy. MVHS has a bold plan for The Wynn Hospital – a plan that we believe in. We are proud to make this gift to advance the project even further and help ensure better health outcomes and an enhanced quality of life for the community.”
Expected to open in 2023, The Wynn Hospital will provide:
- State-of-the-art care. The Wynn Hospital will bring to the region a new level of surgical services through the Center for Surgical Innovation; cardiac care at the leading edge of medicine through the new Heart Center; integrated medical and surgical services for brain and spine care through the Neurosciences Institute; and a program that meets the needs of women and children through the Women’s and Children’s Center.Additionally, The Wynn Hospital’s new emergency room will include 63 treatment rooms and specialized care for trauma, behavioral health, and other emergent and lifesaving needs; its new ER design will support 90,000 visits per year. The hospital throughout will feature an innovative team-station approach to nursing; nurses at each team station will oversee the needs of just four patients, fostering stronger connections and allowing for more individualized care.
- A better experience for patients and families. The healing environment will be greatly improved at The Wynn Hospital: every patient will have a private room with a window and technologies to minimize sound, offering more comfort, natural light and confidentiality. Separate patient, visitor and service elevators will also ensure privacy and dignity for patient transport.
- More – and more specialty – physicians in the Mohawk Valley. MVHS will expand its graduate medical education and residency programs at the new The Wynn Hospital. By developing a medical school affiliation with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, expanding the existing primary care residency program, and establishing residencies in psychiatry, OB/GYN, emergency medicine, and general surgery, MVHS will significantly increase its capacity to recruit physicians to the region. More than 130 medical students and resident physicians are expected to study and practice at The Wynn Hospital each year.
- Benefits to the greater community, including an estimated $115 million economic impact on the Mohawk Valley region during construction. MVHS expects to employ 3,000 to 3,500 healthcare professionals at the hospital when it is completed. Already, the project has brought infrastructure improvements to the area, contributing to the redevelopment and revitalization of downtown Utica.
MVHS was awarded a $300 million grant from New York State in 2017 to create an integrated healthcare delivery system in Oneida County and broke ground on the downtown Utica site in December 2019. The 25-acre campus of The Wynn Hospital – which consolidates the area’s two aging acute-care hospitals – will include a 703,000-square-foot, 10-story facility; a central utility plant; and a parking garage.
“This community deserves forward-looking healthcare,” said Bonnie Woods, chair of the MVHS Board of Directors. “After years of planning, a world-class medical campus is just around the corner. I am proud of everyone who has made this project a reality and grateful to the Wynns for recognizing the transformational impact of our future regional medical center.”
“The Wynn Family and our capital campaign co-chairs, Linda Romano and Larry Gilroy, share a simple, yet powerful, vision: philanthropy changes lives,” said John Forbes, Vice President, MVHS Foundation. “This partnership with the Wynns will do that and more. It will help attract and retain skilled physicians, set a new standard for excellence in healthcare, and inspire others to give back in service of our mission.”
President of the MVHS Foundation Board, Terry Mielnicki, says, “This is truly a remarkable time for this community and this gift will help us provide exceptional healthcare in this region for many years to come.”
MVHS and the Wynn Family Foundation plan to unveil branding for the new The Wynn Hospital in early-to-mid 2021.
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About MVHS
MVHS is an integrated, non-profit healthcare delivery system that includes St. Elizabeth Medical Center (SEMC), Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare (FSLH), MVHS Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Visiting Nurse Association of Utica and Oneida County and Senior Network Health. MVHS primarily serves the geographic area of Oneida, Herkimer and Madison counties in New York State and is an integrated delivery system with more than 4,200 full-time equivalent employees. The Wynn Hospital will be joining these other affiliates as part of MVHS. For more information, visit mvhealthsystem.org and find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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