Fit for an Earthquake

Portland Ore – Providence Chief Operating Officer Nancy Roberts stands in front of Providence St. Vincent’s main tower. A project to improve the structural integrity of its primary patient care area began back in 2015. The project is now complete, including retrofitting to help the hospital withstand a major earthquake. To insure patient care was not impacted, the new exterior was actually built on the outside of the 45-year-old exterior before it was removed – ultimately expanding the size of patient rooms. During the four-year project, no clinical unit ever closed and no patients were turned away.