TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital is upgrading the Physicians Specialty Center lobby and its cardiac care program to accommodate the growth in its patient population and provide cardiologists with the latest technology.

“Progress is good. It tells you we are growing,” said Andre Boyd, chief operating officer for Greenview. “We’re wanting to provide better service to our patients.”

The $1.4 million cardiac care upgrade, which starts today, is being funded by allocations from TriStar, the hospital’s corporate office. Getting the funding for the catheterization laboratory – which has specialized equipment to look at the chambers and arteries of the heart and to treat abnormalities – has been in the process for more than one year, Boyd said.

The renovation, which includes an overhaul of the cardiac cath lab and new equipment, is scheduled to be completed by mid-October. The cath lab will be closed for the duration, so if patients have situations that would require the lab’s use, they would have to be transferred to another hospital, Boyd said.

“They would be transferred based on the patients’ choice,” he said.

The entrance from the physicians parking lot will be closed. Patients can use either the emergency room or classroom entrances. Part of the hallway will remain open for access to the rest of the hospital.

“From all the feedback, everyone is excited,” Boyd said. “The cardiologists have been waiting for a new cath lab for a moment. They all have been asking. We’re excited to provide them with the technology.”

New equipment will include a GE cath lab table, camera and monitors, Boyd said.

“We’re renovating the entire cath lab room, holding areas and waiting area,” he said. “We’re redoing the flooring and the common areas of the cath lab.”

While the cath lab is being renovated, the Physicians Specialty Center is also getting a new look. The $600,000 project is also scheduled to begin today and done in mid-October, Boyd said. Outpatients going in for imaging or lab work will still use the main PSC entrance, but will be guided to registration stations that will be temporarily located in the emergency department.

Changes will include new floors, new wallpaper and glass doors for each of the doctors’ offices with their names on them.

– Alyssa Harvey covers features for the Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/bgdnfeatures or visit bgdailynews.com.