WATERLOO -- Doctors and nurses say their patients at the United Medical Park Ambulatory Surgery Center are generally satisfied with the service they receive.

But if they are complaining, the center's lack of privacy is usually at the top of their list, said Jennifer Goos, a nurse manager at the center. Currently the center has only a couple private pre- and post-operative rooms. Most of the intake and recovery rooms are currently nothing more than curtained cubicles.

But, all of that should be remedied when Allen Hospital completes a nearly $10 million expansion and renovation project that will add about 13,000 square feet of new space on the rear side of the Ridgeway Avenue building and remodel another 9,000 square feet. The expansion will eliminate all curtained rooms and add eight private recovery rooms. Updates will also be made to the center's four operating suites, the procedure room and supporting areas. The project will begin immediately and should be completed in late 2009, which would be United Medical Park's 10th anniversary. The architect is Eric Ritland of InVision Architecture. Cardinal Construction is the lead contractor.

"The curtained cubicles were state of the art when we built the center (in 1999). They were more efficient because they took up less square feet per room," said Rick Seidler, Allen Hospital president. "Now, there isn't a surgery center being built that doesn't offer private rooms."

The change in trends comes in part because of an increased effort nationwide to eliminate hospital acquired infections, Seidler said. But, just as important is the ability to offer patients some privacy in the hours before and after their surgery, Goos said.

"When we are visiting with patients it can be challenging, especially if the patient is hard of hearing," Goos said. "The noise can bother other people and we also ask several personal questions and there is just no way to avoid the next person hearing."

The private rooms will also benefit families with children, who often need to burn off excess energy while cooped up in the center. Goos said currently the kids will come outside their curtained rooms and play in the main hallway, which can get congested during peak surgery hours. A separate children's waiting room is also part of the new schematic.

The new rooms will also be equipped with television that can help patients of all ages keep their minds busy during the wait.

While patient satisfaction is a top priority, Jay Wilsher, regional vice president for Allen Hospital, said physicians are also on board with the expansion because it will allow them to schedule procedures later in the day.

By opening up more private rooms Seidler said the center can alleviate some scheduling pressures at the hospital by taking on some outpatient surgeries "that traditionally have a harder post-op recovery." Outpatient surgery is considered anything less than a 24-hour stay. Since 2002 the center has seen patient volumes grow by about 44 percent.

Seidler said the increase can be attributed to everything from advances in technology to a shift in care expectations that make outpatient surgery centers a desirable location for procedures.

"At surgery centers patients don't have to worry about their appointment being bumped by an emergency surgery," Seidler said.

Wilsher said crews will build the new pieces of the project first so that the existing equipment can be moved in while the existing center is being updated. Though staff at the center agree the next year will be challenging, they said the end result will be well worth it.

"Our patients really like it out here and this will only allow us to expand our services," said Paula McFadden, the center's medical director and anesthesiologist. "We just have to let them know about what is going on right now, and hopefully, if (the contractors) are doing something noisy they can do it during our off hours."

Contact Emily Christensen at (319) 291-1570 or emily.christensen@wcfcourier.com.