New Helena Theurer Pavilion Promotes Unmatched Colorectal Surgery Experience at Hackensack University Medical Center

With the recent opening of the Helena Theurer Pavilion—a new nine-story medical/surgical tower on the Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center campus—our hospital’s colorectal surgeons will deliver the high-quality care they are known for while raising the bar on patient experience in the New York metropolitan area.

Beginning in late 2022, Hackensack University Medical Center colorectal surgeons Howard Ross, M.D., Chair of Surgery/Surgeon-in-Chief; Steven Lee-Kong, M.D., Chief of Colorectal Surgery; and Ryan Moore, M.D., will perform procedures in the 530,000-square-foot Pavilion, which includes:

• 24 operating rooms
• 72 post-anesthesia care unit beds
• 50 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds
• 175 medical/surgical beds, including intermediate care rooms
• 6 da Vinci robotic surgical systems, including one single port system

Hackensack University Medical Center is internationally recognized for excellence in robotic-assisted surgery, and the Helena Theurer Pavilion will allow colorectal surgeons to build upon their reputation for innovation.

The facility includes six operating rooms dedicated to robotic-assisted surgery—and each room is equipped with an advanced da Vinci robotic surgical system. Additionally, each operating room includes large monitors for viewing patient images and video conferencing technology to help surgeons seamlessly interact with colleagues and students.

Patients who require an overnight stay after surgery will have private rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows that let in natural light. Many patient rooms also have views of the New York City skyline.

Each patient room includes an in-room, flat-screen monitor that offers family-friendly video-chat features and access to patient education models. Patients can use a bedside tablet to control the lights, shades, television and room temperature.

The Pavilion is fully pandemic/health emergency-ready. The facility includes 12 negative-pressure rooms that use special exhaust systems to prevent air from escaping to other parts of the facility. Negative-pressure rooms are used by patients with airborne infectious illnesses such as COVID-19, tuberculosis or measles.

With the flip of a switch, the entire Pavilion can be converted to a negative-pressure facility, ensuring that Hackensack University Medical Center remains prepared to deliver expert surgical care now and for years to come.

Learn more about colorectal surgery innovations at Hackensack University Medical Center.