Wynn hospital opens in downtown Utica
By Ava Cargan ’27, Staff Writer
Wynn Hospital in downtown Utica has officially been completed through a $300 million grant from the New York State Department of Health’s Health Care Facility Transformation Program. The new hospital is 702,000 square feet with ten floors, 373 beds and a helipad near the emergency entrance for air transport. The new hospital includes eight coronary care beds, 42 intensive care beds, 23 maternity beds, 232 medical/surgical beds, 8 neonatal intermediate care beds, 16 pediatric beds and 44 psychiatric care beds. The emergency department will include 47 emergency treatment spaces and six behavioral treatment areas.
Commenting on the new hospital, Governor Kathy Hochul said that “This is an exciting day for the people of Utica and the region as we mark the next step forward in modern, accessible health care coverage for this community. The state-of-the-art facility is an investment in the well-being of the region and will ensure that every resident has access to critical medical services when they need it most.” This new hospital also provides care for Hamilton students who may need emergency medical attention.
Frank Coots, Director of Campus Safety, discussed the opening of the hospital and what it means for our community. Coots comments that when it comes to emergency situations on campus, he wants students to get care as quickly as possible and wants them in the least amount of discomfort, and that now Wynn is going to be a great place to go for students. On a usual week, several students a week will call Campus Safety and the campus EMTs for emergency care. In addition, Coots says there are usually more calls on the weekend, and that from this point on, Wynn is going to be where students are sent if they do not request otherwise, except for cases of sexual assault.
When calling an ambulance for students, the ambulance gets to decide where the student is taken. Requests for hospitals can be made, but it cannot be guaranteed that the ambulance could take the student to their requested location. In the case of sexual assault, students would be sent to one of the local hospitals that have a SANE nurse (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner). Rome City Hospital, Rome City Hospital and Oneida Health Hospital are all local hospitals with SANE nurses. Coots says that in addition to Campus Safety reaching out to get a student to a hospital with an available SANE nurse on call, the Title IX coordinator and campus investigator will also be involved. If students are assaulted, there are resources to reach out to for help, such as the health center, Catherine Berryman or by calling 1–800–656–4673 for the National Sexual Assault Hotline).
Coots believes that there is a safe on-campus community with access to quality medical care. Coots says that Campus Safety takes injuries and emergency situations on campus very seriously and wants to get students the best care possible. He says that on-campus EMTs are a great service for students; they are a certified emergency service that can make determinations for students’ care and will give solid and respectful care for students. He beleives Wynn Hospital is a great new space to maintain the care of all students.
