Rome Memorial Hospital changed its name to Rome Health last month, and recently announced plans for a roughly $13 million expansion project. Officials say that many primary and specialty care clinics affiliated with Rome Health have offices spread within a few miles of the facility.

The new physician center will include 40 exam rooms, which will allow those clinics to move to one location on site. Rome Health is also preparing to welcome new specialists, including two surgeons and a cardiologist.

"What's going to be really exciting about it, is that it really gives this convenience factor for our patients where they will not only be able to access their physician services, they're also going to be able to access some ancillary testing that's already available on our main hospital campus," said Ryan Thompson, Rome Health chief operating officer.

Rome Health has been affiliated with St. Joseph's Health in Syracuse since 2017 and will continue that partnership. Construction work is expected to begin on the new facility this August and be finished by next summer.