St. Francis Hospital held the groundbreaking ceremony recently for the Nancy and Fred DeMatteis Pavilion, a major new patient care building that will add 150,000 square feet of clinical space to the hospital's main campus.

The DeMatteis Pavilion is the centerpiece of the hospital's Master Facilities Plan, a three-year, $190 million project to expand and enhance the hospital's physical plant. It is the largest construction project in the hospital's 83-year history.

The DeMatteis Pavilion will house two medical/surgical floors and an intensive care unit, with a total of 184 patient beds. The building represents a 40 percent increase in space at the hospital. The groundbreaking ceremony, which took place at the hospital's main campus in Roslyn, brought together over 200 hospital leaders, staff members, government officials, and dignitaries to mark the occasion.

Due to prominence in the field of cardiac care, St. Francis Hospital has experienced tremendous demand for its services in recent years. As a result, its average occupancy rate has exceeded 100 percent since the early 1990s. The new building, as well as other improvements, is intended to address this issue.

"Our goal is to build a platform to continue to attract the very best physicians and nurses, accommodate our patients with comfort and convenience, and house the latest technology to keep the Hospital at the forefront of medical care," said Alan D. Guerci, M.D., president and chief executive officer. "Through the generosity of the DeMatteis family, we will be able to make that vision a reality."

For over three decades, Nancy DeMatteis and her late husband Fred have played a significant role in advancing the mission of St. Francis Hospital and establishing its reputation as New York's leading heart center. Mrs. DeMatteis is a philanthropic leader and past president of the Guild of St. Francis. She inaugurated the hospital's annual Golf Classic and is a champion of the Hospital's Women's Center. Fred DeMatteis was chairman of the hospital's board of trustees from 1985-1987 and a longtime member of the board. He was a leader in the acquisition of The DeMatteis Center in Old Brookville, which propelled St. Francis Hospital into the forefront of cardiac research and education.

The DeMatteis Pavilion is at the heart of a capital expansion plan designed to secure the hospital's position as a leader in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart disease and a range of other specialties well into the 21st century. In addition to the new building, the plan calls for:

* An increase in the hospital's licensed bed capacity from 279 to 364

* New, non-cardiac operating suites (from 7 to 14)

* Expanded cardiac catheterization lab facilities (from 5 to 7 laboratories - one already completed)

* An expanded emergency department

* A new underground garage with 315 additional parking spaces

According to hospital officials, construction is expected to be completed in 2008.