Rotary Club of Warren County: Update on the new hospital

Floyd Heater and Niki Wilson presented an update on Warren County’s new hospital. Floyd Heater (above left) is Vice President of Valley Health Southern Region, and President of Warren Memorial Hospital. Niki Wilson (above right) is Director of Development for Valley Health.

Beginning with a brief history of Warren Memorial Hospital, Floyd said that the hospital opened in 1951 with 47 beds, following a fund-raising effort in Warren County, and the passage of Federal government funding for hospital construction. In 1968, the hospital opened the Lynn Care Center, a 40-bed nursing home and rehabilitation center. The center moved to a new facility adjacent to the hospital and expanded the number of beds to 120, including a 26-bed memory support unit for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. He added that at this point the Lynn Center will remain where it is. In 1979, the South Wing Expansion increased the number of beds in the hospital by 40 beds, and in 1993, the hospital affiliated with the Winchester Medical Center to create the Valley Health System, the first hospital in the area to do so (although we are the last with a new hospital). In 1997 the Women’s Care Center and Emergency Department underwent a major expansion, and in 2008, the hospital opened an Outpatient Center on Commerce.

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The new hospital, located on Leach Parkway, is now scheduled to open early in 2021. With Floyd’s power point presentation, he explained why there was such a pressing need for a new facility, including the expansion of communities down I-66, the out-dated current facility, the lack of parking, and the problem of retaining or attracting new medical staff and doctors. Floyd presented an overview of how the new hospital and medical center would look, and told of the many services that it would be able to offer our community. This thoroughly modern facility, following an investment of more than $100 million, would be much larger than our present hospital, would be approximately 177,000 square feet, including the new Medical Center adjacent. There will be 30 private patient rooms, as opposed to the current semi-private rooms, 18 Emergency Department beds, and 6 Observation beds. This latter is for patients who need to be kept for 24 hours under observation, before determining their needs. There will be operating rooms, including a Cardiac Cath Lab. As noted, there will be a three-story medical building for the doctors and offices, and an approximately 150-acre campus. He said it has made it easier to add new specialists, as they have recently added new doctors in Orthopedics, OB/GYN, Primary Care, and other specialists who are excited about coming to our new facility.

In her discussion, Niki expanded an explanation of the offerings of the 150-acre campus. As she noted the Wellness and Recreation Trail will offer a 3-mile walking trail, although there will be shorter trails available. She said the Trail will be available not only to the visitors to the hospital but also to the community. This is a conservation area and will never be built on. There will be two overlooks to enjoy the view, with a spectacular view from the upper overlook, and easy access from the community. There is also a school adjacent to this area, so the kids will be able to enjoy the trails as well. The Capital Campaign success has enable them to do more with the Trail than originally planned.

To learn more about Rotary, please go to www.warrencountyrotary.org.

Story and photo credit: Hank Ecton
Video credit: Dave Hardy