Deborah Heart and Lung Center, a specialty hospital in Browns Mills, N.J., will begin a $100 million capital improvement project after receiving a loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the organization said this week.
The health system received a $88.2 million loan from the department, providing the final piece of funding needed for the project.
The project calls for converting the hospital's double-occupancy rooms into private suites, upgrading the cardiac catheterization labs and building a new inpatient tower. When the upgrades are completed, Deborah Heart and Lung Center will have 95 patient beds.
Construction is slated to begin in the next few months and end late next year.
"As a rural hospital located in Burlington County, New Jersey, we are critical to the health of our community, the residents of which may not otherwise have access to the high-tech heart, lung and vascular services we offer. This construction will ensure this access, and offers a vibrant opportunity for the area," said Joseph Chirichella, president and CEO of Deborah Heart and Lung Center in a March 29 news release.