Health News & Information
For The Health of our Community
Monthly Column from the President
Serving the Community -- Growing to Meet Your Healthcare Needs
Since the founding of South County Hospital in 1919, it has been our mission to meet the healthcare needs of the residents of and visitors to southern Rhode Island. Over the years, South County Hospital Healthcare System (SCHHS) has evolved into a vital source for healthcare in the state by committing the necessary resources to provide the highest level of medical care possible.
Our ability to provide the highest quality healthcare is the result of unparalleled community involvement. The philanthropy of year-round and seasonal residents has been remarkable and, without question, has been a leading factor in the successful growth of the South County Hospital Healthcare System. To accomplish our current expansion projects, we need the generous support of our current friends and donors, as well as the interest and contributions of new friends and benefactors.
Over the past seven years, we have invested more than $50 million in facility improvements, including, for example, the new, expanded Emergency Department and Outpatient Diagnostic Center. In early 2005, the SCHHS Board of Trustees approved a $40 million Major Capital Investment Plan that is being financed through operating income, borrowing, and philanthropy. The results are tangible. Last month, we opened a new state-of-the-art Orthopedics Wing, with 10 private patient rooms. These spacious rooms were designed and equipped with the latest technology for superior patient care. All of these enhancements have been made in order for us to continue to provide quality healthcare and to meet the needs of the community we serve.
In addition, a new three-story inpatient care facility, currently under construction, is scheduled to open in early 2008. Each floor will have 20 private rooms with private baths. These 60 replacement beds (replacing outmoded and unused patient facilities), will allow the Hospital to operate all of its 100 licensed beds, making an additional 24 beds available to the region. All patient rooms will then be private, single-patient rooms. This will mean an expedited admitting process, and patient privacy and comfort will be enhanced as will infection control. When the 3-story addition is complete, we will begin the relocation, expansion, and modernization of our Intensive Care Unit.
We know that the 60-bed 3-story addition, and other planned changes, will dramatically improve our patients care experience while in South County Hospital. These facility improvements will also enhance our ability to retain the superb physicians, nurses and other clinicians on staff, as well as our ability to attract and recruit others.
Located in the fastest growing geographic area in the state, SCHHS serves a year-round community of approximately 150,000 residents and 11,000 University of Rhode Island students. The population more than triples in the summer. The need for our key services has dramatically increased every year, making clear the importance of expanding our outpatient and inpatient care services and facilities.
In response to the growing demands for healthcare services, the Board of Trustees, SCHHS Administration, and the Medical Staff leaders have crafted a Strategic Plan outlining a major capital investment strategy. As always, the central objective of this plan is to deliver the highest quality healthcare possible. We are continually focused on improving patient outcomes. To achieve this, the plan calls for increasing operating and philanthropic revenues, continued controlling of expenses, the protection of vital programs, and investment in new services and facilities.
As you may know from an earlier column, other future plans include the establishment of a Diagnostic Cardiac Catheterization Lab. This new addition to our cardiac services will enable our cardiologists to provide state-of-the-art diagnostic testing for coronary disease, meeting the needs of patients who currently drive to Providence for this service. The cardiologists on the medical staff at South County Hospital now perform nearly 300 diagnostic cardiac catheterization procedures a year at Rhode Island Hospital, on their patients from Washington County. Clearly, this service is needed here-- particularly as the average age of the largest segment of the population is over 50and we are dedicated to meeting that need.
This is a very short list of some of our major capital investments. To help finance these projects, in early 2006, we launched The Campaign for South County Hospital. Under the leadership of our Campaign Chair, Russell Shippee, we have secured $10,500,000 during the quiet phase from Trustees, major donors, corporations, and foundations, as well as from members of the medical staff, auxiliary and SCHHS employees. We have now begun our outreach to the broader community in an effort to raise an additional $500,000 from the residents of southern Rhode Island and are happy to report that Cy and Shirley Siravo are serving as Co-Chairs of the Campaigns Community Phase. They have agreed to this role because they feel strongly that the Hospital is a vital asset to the community, and they know that community support is crucial to the campaigns success.
As Ive said, we need the continued support of existing friends and donors, as well as the contributions of new friends and benefactors. We ask that you consider this as an opportunity to celebrate the Hospitals independence, strength, and passionate pursuit of quality. All of us who live in South County, whether for the summer or year-round, treasure the exceptional quality of life offered by this special part of Rhode Island. South County Hospital is an indispensable contributor to and protector of the quality of life of here. Our doors are always open, to anyone who needs us, and we are committed to fulfilling our promise of enriching the quality of life in southern Rhode Island.
Your partnership can help ensure that our community can continue to receive superior healthcare for generations to come. If you would like to make a gift to the Campaign for South County Hospital, or would like more information, please call Donna Neville, Vice President of Development, at (401) 788-1680.
As always, I am grateful to SRI Newspapers for this opportunity to speak to the community, and I welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions. My e-mail
address is lgiancola@schospital.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Since the founding of South County Hospital in 1919, it has been our mission to meet the healthcare needs of the residents of and visitors to southern Rhode Island. Over the years, South County Hospital Healthcare System (SCHHS) has evolved into a vital source for healthcare in the state by committing the necessary resources to provide the highest level of medical care possible.
Our ability to provide the highest quality healthcare is the result of unparalleled community involvement. The philanthropy of year-round and seasonal residents has been remarkable and, without question, has been a leading factor in the successful growth of the South County Hospital Healthcare System. To accomplish our current expansion projects, we need the generous support of our current friends and donors, as well as the interest and contributions of new friends and benefactors.
Over the past seven years, we have invested more than $50 million in facility improvements, including, for example, the new, expanded Emergency Department and Outpatient Diagnostic Center. In early 2005, the SCHHS Board of Trustees approved a $40 million Major Capital Investment Plan that is being financed through operating income, borrowing, and philanthropy. The results are tangible. Last month, we opened a new state-of-the-art Orthopedics Wing, with 10 private patient rooms. These spacious rooms were designed and equipped with the latest technology for superior patient care. All of these enhancements have been made in order for us to continue to provide quality healthcare and to meet the needs of the community we serve.
In addition, a new three-story inpatient care facility, currently under construction, is scheduled to open in early 2008. Each floor will have 20 private rooms with private baths. These 60 replacement beds (replacing outmoded and unused patient facilities), will allow the Hospital to operate all of its 100 licensed beds, making an additional 24 beds available to the region. All patient rooms will then be private, single-patient rooms. This will mean an expedited admitting process, and patient privacy and comfort will be enhanced as will infection control. When the 3-story addition is complete, we will begin the relocation, expansion, and modernization of our Intensive Care Unit.
We know that the 60-bed 3-story addition, and other planned changes, will dramatically improve our patients care experience while in South County Hospital. These facility improvements will also enhance our ability to retain the superb physicians, nurses and other clinicians on staff, as well as our ability to attract and recruit others.
Located in the fastest growing geographic area in the state, SCHHS serves a year-round community of approximately 150,000 residents and 11,000 University of Rhode Island students. The population more than triples in the summer. The need for our key services has dramatically increased every year, making clear the importance of expanding our outpatient and inpatient care services and facilities.
In response to the growing demands for healthcare services, the Board of Trustees, SCHHS Administration, and the Medical Staff leaders have crafted a Strategic Plan outlining a major capital investment strategy. As always, the central objective of this plan is to deliver the highest quality healthcare possible. We are continually focused on improving patient outcomes. To achieve this, the plan calls for increasing operating and philanthropic revenues, continued controlling of expenses, the protection of vital programs, and investment in new services and facilities.
As you may know from an earlier column, other future plans include the establishment of a Diagnostic Cardiac Catheterization Lab. This new addition to our cardiac services will enable our cardiologists to provide state-of-the-art diagnostic testing for coronary disease, meeting the needs of patients who currently drive to Providence for this service. The cardiologists on the medical staff at South County Hospital now perform nearly 300 diagnostic cardiac catheterization procedures a year at Rhode Island Hospital, on their patients from Washington County. Clearly, this service is needed here-- particularly as the average age of the largest segment of the population is over 50and we are dedicated to meeting that need.
This is a very short list of some of our major capital investments. To help finance these projects, in early 2006, we launched The Campaign for South County Hospital. Under the leadership of our Campaign Chair, Russell Shippee, we have secured $10,500,000 during the quiet phase from Trustees, major donors, corporations, and foundations, as well as from members of the medical staff, auxiliary and SCHHS employees. We have now begun our outreach to the broader community in an effort to raise an additional $500,000 from the residents of southern Rhode Island and are happy to report that Cy and Shirley Siravo are serving as Co-Chairs of the Campaigns Community Phase. They have agreed to this role because they feel strongly that the Hospital is a vital asset to the community, and they know that community support is crucial to the campaigns success.
As Ive said, we need the continued support of existing friends and donors, as well as the contributions of new friends and benefactors. We ask that you consider this as an opportunity to celebrate the Hospitals independence, strength, and passionate pursuit of quality. All of us who live in South County, whether for the summer or year-round, treasure the exceptional quality of life offered by this special part of Rhode Island. South County Hospital is an indispensable contributor to and protector of the quality of life of here. Our doors are always open, to anyone who needs us, and we are committed to fulfilling our promise of enriching the quality of life in southern Rhode Island.
Your partnership can help ensure that our community can continue to receive superior healthcare for generations to come. If you would like to make a gift to the Campaign for South County Hospital, or would like more information, please call Donna Neville, Vice President of Development, at (401) 788-1680.
As always, I am grateful to SRI Newspapers for this opportunity to speak to the community, and I welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions. My e-mail
address is lgiancola@schospital.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
SCH Healthcare System
