In 1976, Glens Falls Hospital complemented the outstanding skills of the area’s surgeons by opening the State’s first certified day surgery unit. As advancements in technologies allowed surgeons to perform ever greater numbers of procedures on an outpatient basis, the Hospital again moved to the forefront of patient-centered care, with the opening of a new state-of-the-art Day Surgery Center in 1993.

The Center is located in the Pruyn Pavilion annex to the Hospital, with a separate entrance from the busier, more fast-paced atmosphere of the main Hospital building.

At the same time, the Center’s attachment to the Hospital ensures the availability of a broad diversity of acute care services and expertise at virtually a moment's notice. Day Surgery nurses also cross-train in the Inpatient Surgical Suite, giving them experience in a wide variety of procedures.

"When people come in for day surgery, they don’t want to feel as if they're being hospitalized," says Dianne Anderson, R.N, vice president of patient services for Glens Falls Hospital. "Here, they're separated from the Hospital, yet they have the peace of mind that comes from having all of the Hospital’s expertise and technology just down the hall."

The Day Surgery Center has 11 admitting rooms and eight operating rooms, with specific rooms dedicated to and equipped especially for eye care, orthopedics, gynecology and ear, nose and throat procedures. The Center is staffed by 32 registered nurses, four licensed practical nurses, six nurses aides and five office support people. More than 9,500 people were treated at the Center in 1998.