CANNON FALLS — After 16 months of construction, the new Mayo Clinic Health System building in Cannon Falls will soon be celebrating its grand opening.
The new building is a replacement for the current Mayo Clinic facility, which was built in 1958.
"It's going to be much more inviting and patient friendly," said Thomas Witt, president and Chief Executive Officer of Mayo Clinic Health System in Cannon Falls, Lake City and Red Wing.
There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at 2:30 p.m. July 25, followed by public tours from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Mayo Clinic is encouraging the public to attend and will offer free food, live music and kids activities. In addition, the Mayo One helicopter will be on site and open for exploration at 4 p.m.
The clinic will open for patients Aug. 4, and the hospital and emergency department will open for patients Aug. 7.
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Witt said the difference between the new building and the old building will be night and day. "It's really going to give our staff an opportunity to shine," he said.
The new building is 92,000 square feet and designed to be more efficient, and welcoming. He said it's an opportunity to play with how the the clinic functions day to day.
"We really put the patient perspective into play," said Dr. Megan Johnston Flanders, a physician at Mayo's Cannon Falls location. She was part of a team that worked to help design and develop the new clinic's rooms.
The team, made up of people from various Mayo disciplines and patients, participated in a "3P" project, which stands for People, Product and Process. They spent a week looking at the work flow of the clinic. Flanders said patients were at the forefront of the team's thoughts when suggesting improvements and designs.
When they looked at work flow, they considered the workings of the facility, including waiting time for patients, how many steps it takes to travel from room to room, where the sinks are placed and the efficiency of work, among other aspects of daily life.
Flanders said attention also was paid to the aesthetics of the new clinic, like landscaping, the pictures and paintings that line the walls, the placement of fireplaces and the number of windows.
"It's just a very peaceful place," she said.
