OU Medical Center Opens North Tower To Patients

The University of Oklahoma Medical Center is opening the largest hospital expansion in state history.

Workers are still putting the finishing touches on the 450,000 square feet of space.

The addition means 144 additional beds and 32 operating rooms.

Many of the operating rooms can accommodate multiple procedures, so the patient doesn't have to be wheeled to different locations in the hospital.

“The vision of this tower is that patients wouldn't be turned away. in the past five years our demands grew we couldn't serve the patients in the timely fashion that they deserve,” said University of Oklahoma Medical Center President Kris Gose.

The hospital is working with outside contractors to make sure all those new beds are fully staffed.

That's more of a challenge now with COVID-19.

The hospital told News 9 it has lost COVID-19 unit nurses because they were offered $150 an hour in Texas.