Expansion highlights include a new main entrance and lobby; conversion to all-private rooms; creation of a “Cardiac Hospital Within a Hospital”; a completely renovated maternity floor, enhancements to patient care areas and expansion of our surgery and endoscopy suites.

The expansion, which is currently in its development and planning stage, is scheduled for completion in 2012. However, the construction and renovation will take place in phases, so different aspects of the project will be completed throughout the project’s timeframe.  This phased construction will also allow the expansion to take place with minimal disruption to staff and patients. 

A new main entrance and lobby with a double-height atrium will consolidate entry into the hospital. The theme for the new entrance and lobby will be the rich maritime history of Portsmouth. Numerous items that reflect our city’s nautical heritage will be included in the lobby, and the overall design itself will contain several elements to remind patients and visitors of our proximity to, reliance on and affinity for the ocean.

Renovations and construction will be augmented with the addition of new technology, equipment, furniture, flat-screen TVs and a host of other patient care and comfort features. A unique aspect of this expansion is that the new lobby is being designed to reflect and honor the nautical heritage of the Seacoast area.

Phase I will add a third floor to the Heart & Lung Center

One of the first projects that will be undertaken will be a vertical expansion above the existing Shoals Building, creating a full third floor with 40 private, monitored medical-surgical beds for the hospital’s nationally recognized Heart and Lung Center. Another important phase of the project will a surgical expansion, which will include the addition of a new operating room and additional endoscopy room.

Celebrating 10 Years of cardiac excellence, the Heart & Lung Center, a regional center for cardiac care and surgery, features state-of- the-art interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery capabilities.

Architectural design will incorporate staff and community input

Portsmouth Regional Hospital continues to develop new medical resources to meet our patients' needs - close to home.  In recent months we have introduced or expanded the following services:

Endocrinology & Diabetes:

Electrophysiology:

Until recently, most Seacoast patients with abnormal heart rhythms were referred to Boston-area electrophysiology labs, staffed by cardiologists with advanced training in the treatment of abnormal heart rhythms. 

Now, thanks to a collaboration of Seacoast area cardiologists the addition of two Board Certified Electrophysiologists to our medical staff and our continuing investment in new technology, advanced electrophysiology services are now available at the Heart & Lung Center at Portsmouth Regional Hospital.

Vascular services:

Several medical specialties are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease.  At Portsmouth Regional Hospital, our medical staff offers a full range of vascular services, enhanced by the latest treatment technologies.

Our vascular program has been recently expanded with more vascular surgeons and sophisticated vascular surgery capabilities such as aneurysm repair and endarterectomy. Our new minimally invasive varicose vein treatment uses an electrical current, guided by ultrasound technology, to shrink the vein in place.

Rehabilitation and Wellness Center

To better serve the community’s needs, we have created a new rehabilitation center that will combines services that had been fragmented in multiple locations. Our new rehab center features:

• Comprehensive treatment for stroke, brain injury and catastrophic conditions requiring multidisciplinary rehabilitation
• Orthopedic and sports medicine physical therapy
• Warm water aquatic therapy
• Hand therapy
• Rehab gym
• Cardiac rehab gym with walking track
• Pulmonary rehab (COPD, asthma)
• Fully equipped kitchen for practical, hands-on skills
• Nutrition counseling and support
• Massage therapy
• Multidisciplinary pediatric rehabilitation
• Community exercise programming for cardiac, pulmonary, bariatric, diabetes patients

These programs will include education, counseling and exercise programs. Evening and Saturday hours will be offered.

Surgical weight loss program:

The NH Surgical Weight Loss Center at Portsmouth Regional Hospital is proud to celebrate hundreds of successful surgical procedures over the past five years. The surgical weight loss team consists of specially trained advanced laparoscopic surgeons, dieticians, physical therapists, and behavioral health experts, as well as representatives from other medical specialties.