Saratoga Springs, NY - The New York State Department of Health approved Saratoga Hospital's Certificate of Need (CON) application to build an offsite $10.3 million ambulatory surgery center on Oct. 21, 2002. We are now cleared to break ground and begin constructing on property we acquired in 1998. We anticipate treating our first patient at the Wilton Medical Arts Extension Clinic by the spring of 2004. Our freestanding ASC will have four operating rooms, three GI rooms and two pain management rooms.

Here's a look at the planning process crystallized in our CON application. Although your state may not require a CON, the same level of pre-construction planning is necessary for any freestanding center to have a chance at success.