Wednesday, June 13, 2001
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Wednesday, June 13, 2001 |
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Fayette hospital embarks on expansion By JOHN THOMPSON
A $10 million bond recently approved by the Fayette County Commission will go a long way toward improving the services at Fayette Community Hospital, officials say. Ryan Duffey, who handles public relations at the hospital, said the hospital is already starting on some of the projects being funded by the bond. All of the projects will be in the existing building with no dramatic exterior construction, she said. When the hospital was built, officials shelled in two wings on the third floor for future expansion. Now, workers are busy creating a complete medical records department in one of the wings. Duffey said the new department will centralize storage of the documents and make the entire hospital run more efficiently. Additionally, the hospital is building an inpatient physical therapy center on the third floor, complete with two whirlpools to help patients heal and get stronger. "When we built the hospital, we were not sure of the mix of patients we would get. We're seeing a lot more orthopedic patients than we thought," she said. Other projects to be built under the bond include an additional 12 patient rooms. Duffey said the hospital will still remain a 100-bed facility, but will decrease the dependence on semiprivate rooms. The bond approved by the county does not hold the taxpayers liable for any costs. It's done through the county to provide the hospital with low rates to fund its expansion. |
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