See inside new $75M same-day surgery center in Covington

A $75 million St. Tammany Health System Surgery Center in Covington has opened. The same-day surgical facility boasts technological advancements for enhancing the health system’s operations and procedures capacity, according to a news release.

Located at 16282 LA-1085 and Bootlegger Road in Covington near the Paul D. Cordes Outpatient Pavilion, the new 126,000-square-foot surgery center establishes a complete west campus for St. Tammany Health System and aids the main hospital to focus on more intricate surgeries.

Joan Coffman, president and CEO of St. Tammany Health System, said the surgery center has long been a strategic goal.

The new facility features 12 surgery suites, 15 overnight-stay rooms, 18 recovery rooms, and 24 private pre-op rooms.

The site has filled all wet areas and restrooms with patented Indigo-Clean lighting which utilizes visible light to destroy various viruses, and surgeons will utilize state-of-the-art equipment including the Da Vinci robotic surgical assistant and the Stryker Mako system. The ground floor is equipped with a lobby mural by Zac Maras and art from other local artists Craig McMillan, Cindi Guillot and Inga Falterman, provided by St. Tammany Health Foundation’s Healing Arts Initiative.

“Some buildings are a monument to architecture. The surgery center, which is among the most technologically advanced of its kind in the region, is also a monument to cutting-edge healthcare,” Dr. Patrick Torcson, STHS chief medical officer, said in a news release. “From the robotic systems that will assist our surgeons; to the advanced surgical instrument processing equipment installed therein; to the robust IT presence throughout, every square inch of this building incorporates technology and innovation on a scale unmatched in the community.”

Fauntleroy Latham Weldon Barre’ served as architect for the project, while McMath Construction was the contractor.

Commencing January 2025, procedures completed at the new facility will include hand surgery, ear, nose and throat surgery, breast reconstruction, and gynecological and orthopedic procedures. It will create 123 positions and services will include surgical sterilization, imaging, physical therapy, anesthesiology and pre-op and post-op care.