Overview: Medical Center Modernization & Expansion
FTI was proud to be part of a facilities renovation project at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Neenah, Wisconsin. ThedaCare provides lifesaving critical care services, including the region’s only Level II Trauma Center, certified Comprehensive Stroke Center and Emergency Department support for communities throughout northeast and central Wisconsin.
As part of their commitment to providing the highest level of care, ThedaCare announced a modernization and expansion project in October 2021. Construction began in January 2022 and was completed in early 2024. FTI was selected as a design assist trade partner, providing design review, budgeting and general labor for the electrical and fire alarm upgrades of the facility that originally opened nearly 115 years ago.
As the electrical contractor, FTI was tasked with completing full electrical and fire alarm upgrades on the facility while the hospital remained active. FTI helped to revitalize, completely remodel and expand several parts of the medical center including the emergency department, birth center, obstetrics emergency department, women’s center, graduate medical education center, behavioral health, surgery department, pharmacy units and central utility plant.
Challenge: Facility Age, Equipment Lead Times
Given the facility’s age, the team experienced challenges during daily operations such as existing structure issues, equipment needs with lead teams out of scope and overall design shifts. FTI maintained a constant focus on safety while navigating changes and remained in communication with the customer and vendors to ensure success.
Solution: Uncompromised Focus on Safety, Building Information Modeling (BIM)
To enable electrical cutover work, the FTI project team thoroughly planned and navigated shutdowns and power outages to ensure hospital operations continued seamlessly and safely. BIM was utilized and was vital for coordination, especially in the emergency department addition and renovation where existing space was needed for patient care. Our previous healthcare experience, particularly our work on multiple projects at Children’s Milwaukee, provided ThedaCare with peace of mind that there would be no interruption to care.
ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah is transforming healthcare for all those living in the region. The healthcare industry is rapidly advancing and FTI is proud to support the growing needs of those in our communities.
