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Beebe Medical Center welcomes a new era
More than 1,400 people passed through the new Joseph R. Hudson Wing at Beebe Medical Center at a daylong open house that marked the culmination of a $35 million construction project and the beginning of a new era of healthcare in eastern Sussex County. "This is a great day for all of us at Beebe and for the community," said Jeffrey M. Fried, president and CEO of Beebe Medical Center, as he kicked off the official dedication and ribbon cutting of the new wing. The wing includes a spacious, 37-bed Emergency Department twice the size of what it has been, a modern, 20-bed, Critical Care Unit on the second floor, a 42-bed inpatient suite on the third floor, and a hi-tech helipad perched in the air above the rooftop. Following the dedication, members of the public were invited on tours. At a special morning open house, employees were invited to get the first peak at the new facilities. "We want to thank the Emergency Department staff and physicians who have worked tirelessly despite being surrounded by temporary walls, drilling and reduced waiting areas for patients." Mr. Fried added that despite all the inconveniences during the construction process, the Emergency Department managed to maintain a 95 percent patient satisfaction rate from the professional surveys that are taken. Mr. Fried also thanked Gary Langmuir, President & CEO, Wohlsen Construction Company for the work and the Beebe Medical Center Board members for their vision and support. He pointed out that the wing was 10 years in the making. "In 1998, the Board recognized that we would not be able to keep up with the needs of our community in our current facility on Savannah Road and so we began our vision to grow along with the community." Beebe Medical Foundation kicked off the Vision 2005 Capital Campaign to raise funds to help with the expansion projects, which included the Beebe Health Campus on Route 24, established to create a place where Beebe Medical Center could expand its outpatient services, the Central Utility Building at the Savannah Road campus to provide the critical infrastructure needed for growth, and an enlarged Emergency Department. The Vision 2005 Capital Campaign raised more than $12.5 million, a record for Beebe Medical Center. In all, the three projects represented about $60 million in construction. The new wing was dedicated to Joseph R. Hudson, vice chairman of the board of directors for the Beebe Medical Foundation, who has been a supporter and advocate of the Medical Center for more than 20 years. Mr. Hudson, a local developer, business owner and entrepreneur with deep roots in Sussex County, has served on the Beebe Medical Center board of directors since 1986, and served as chairman from 1998 to 2005. "Joe Hudson presided over the board when this (expansion) was on the drawing boards," said Jan McCarty, Beebe Medical Center Board Chair. "His involvement in Beebe is legendary." Paul Mylander, a member of the Beebe Board of Directors and Chair of the Vision 2005 Capital Campaign, emphasized how much financial support community members have given to Beebe Medical Center to make its growth possible. He cited former Beebe Foundation Executive Director Michael Clemmer for his leadership in the fundraising effort, including his ability to obtain $2 million from the Longwood Foundation, the single largest donor. He also referenced the 'competition' between Mr. Hudson and Eugene D. Bookhammer, chair of the Beebe Medical Foundation Board, to see who could raise more money. Mr. Mylander also recognized The Country Life Homes' founders Elmer and Mary Ann Fannin and their family for, through their generation donations, made it possible to build the helipad. It is unique in the state in its design that includes flooring that will not freeze, a foam, fire-suppressant sprinkler system and a safety meshing system. Mr. Mylander was supported on the Vision 2005 Capital Campaign by the following dedicated committee members: James S. and Sarah K. Brady, Honorary Co-Chairs; Harry W. Lynch, Jr., Honorary Co-Chair; Mr. Bookhammer; William L. Berry, CPA; Robert Lore, Robert G. Frederick; Michael A. Meoli; Alex J. Pires, Jr.; Lacy F. Letonoff; and Wallace E. Hudson, Jr. Mr. Bookhammer, a former Delaware Lt. Governor who has served on the Beebe Medical Center board for about 50 years, recalled his long association with Beebe Medical Center. "When I started, Beebe had 15 (patient) rooms and six doctors. It is amazing what has happened to this hospital in 50 years," he said. Mr. Bookhammer acknowledged the commitment to the Medical Center by James Beebe, Jr., MD, son of the hospital's co-founder James Beebe, MD. Dr. Beebe Jr. started practicing at Beebe Hospital in 1949 and was the first Board Certified surgeon in Delaware south of Wilmington. "Jim could have gone somewhere and made millions of dollars," Mr. Bookhammer said. "But instead he came here." Dr. Beebe, who as a child attended Lewes School with Mr. Bookhammer, clearly enjoyed the day. Today, there are more than 200 physicians associated with Beebe Medical Center, and with the construction complete, the hospital has 192 beds. Beebe Medical Center staff members are looking forward into moving into the new facilities. The Emergency Department expects to move into the new portion this month, making it a 20,000-square-foot department. The CCU will move into the new unit in May. The new third floor suite, which includes isolation and pediatric rooms as well as traditional ones, will be opened in July. It also includes a special bariatric room with an oversized bed and a lift system that can accommodate patients that weigh up to 800 pounds. "We are looking forward to more space in our Critical Care Unit," says Kathy Cannatelli, RN, BSN, nurse manager of Beebe Medical Center's Critical Care Unit, and of the new Cardiovascular Step Down Unit and Chest Pain Observation Unit. She said that critical care nurses appreciated the fact that they were able to work closely with the architect during the design process. One unique feature is that the nurses' stations are positioned between every two patient rooms so that the nurse can constantly keep an eye on the two patients she is responsible for, even when she is at her station. The unit has a new wireless communication system that allows each staff member to have a communication device that is connected to the patient call system, the paging system, the telephone system and to each other in the unit. "This will make it easier for us to communicate with each other, to call contact a physician immediately," Ms. Cannatelli explained.
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