Friday's Internet Edition, May 09, 2008.
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“Today is truly an exciting day for the Davidson County community and for Thomasville Medical Center,” Gabrielle Causby, president of Thomasville Medical Center, told the gathering. “This is your hospital and your emergency room — and the community’s, too.”
Like many hospitals, TMC is not announcing the actual date the emergency room will open, but Causby said it will be opening this week.
“Today is truly a dream-come-true for me and the emergency department staff, as we see what began as an idea on paper, four years ago, become a reality,” said Kim Smith, manager of TMC’s emergency department. “I visited many emergency departments across the nation to gather ideas that would help us create the most remarkable patient experience, and I’ve read many books and gathered input from both emergency department staff and our physicians.”
The current emergency room operates within 3,711 feet of space. The new one will have more than 24,000 square feet to operate in.
“Last year, our emergency department treated over 28,000 patients, which is an increase of 14 percent over the previous year,” Smith said. “This new $10 million addition grows our treatment beds from the current 10 beds to 27 beds. This includes our nationally accredited chest pain center, our six minor care treatment areas, our nationally accredited stress center, a sexual assault nurse examiner’s room, a new digital radiology system and our new $1,5 million CT scanner.”
Before the ribbon cutting was a dedication ceremony, put on by TMC Foundation, to honor the people and businesses that had their names put on bricks. The foundation allowed these names to be put on the bricks — placed in front of the emergency room entrance — in return for donations to be used to furnish the waiting room.
“We’re so thankful to all of you who took the time and your money to buy bricks in order to help us dedicate this new part of our hospital,” said Linda Hunt, executive director of the TMC Foundation. “For the life of the hospital, these names will be in place. You can come at any time and bring your children and grandchildren to see them.”
The names of all honored and memorialized by a brick purchase were read aloud during the ceremony. According to Hunt, the foundation raised $67,000 to furnish the waiting room, $23,000 of it coming from the sale of the bricks.
“This is one of the finest facilities in the area, David Brookbank, chairman of the TMC Foundation board, said of the new emergency room. “It’s up-to-date technology is as good as anything I’ve seen in an emergency department.”
Physicians present at the ceremonies were also pleased with what is about to open.
“It’s a great addition to the community,” Dr. Peter Galasko, chief emergency department physician, said of the new emergency room. “It’s much larger and much more appealing. With the great staff that we have here at Thomasville Medical Center, we’ll be able to provide the community with great service for their emergency needs.”
Dr. Donald Boskon, TMC’s chief physician, added, “I think this is a wonderful addition to the hospital. Excellent medical care will be delivered by our staff, and we appreciate the opportunity to serve the community and the people of Thomasville.”
Causby said no decision has been reached about what to do with the current emergency room once the new one opens.
“We’ve got some ideas, but nothing concrete yet,” Causby concerning of the space currently occupied by the soon-to-be-replaced emergency room. “Whatever we do, we know we’re going to need some renovation. Right now we’re just taking our time to decide which direction to go. We have been concentrating on getting this new emergency room ready to go.”
One unique characteristic of the old emergency room will also be part of the new one. Margaret Hammond, better know around Thomasville as Purple Grandma, will be on hand.
“This new emergency room is going to be a blessing for a whole lot of people,” Hammond said. “People are going to get a lot faster service, and it’s going to have a lot of tender love and care, because I intend to be there practically every night to make sure that I get me some more grandchildren and lead them to Christ.”
Staff Writer Kevin Reid can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 230, or at reid@tvilletimes.com.