Depending on one’s stage of life, there can be many amenities that make a community stand out as offering exceptional quality of life, from employment opportunities to a great education system, affordable housing to economic development. But one service that nearly everyone considers to be important is quality health care.
Since 1888, Southeast Georgia Health System has ensured that coastal Georgia residents and visitors have access to the highest quality medical care, close to home. From the original 40-bed hospital, with the support of our communities, the Health System has evolved, progressed and expanded, introducing new services and technologies, increasing the number of patient beds, and expanding services to five counties.
As our community continues to grow, Southeast Georgia Health System is also growing. Construction crews are currently hard at work expanding and updating the Emergency Care Center (ECC) and will soon begin construction on a new Surgical Services Tower and new Inpatient Floor. The ECC expansion will add 15 exam/treatment rooms, for a total of 50, including 2 trauma rooms, allowing for more patients to be served than the current average of 153 patients per day. With need projected to grow by more than 10,000 patients by 2020, this expansion is critical to help minimize wait times and allow more patients to be seen and treated each day.
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Comfort and privacy is important, especially when you’re in need of medical care, and the new Surgical Services Tower and Inpatient Floor are being constructed with that in mind. The Surgical Services Tower will include 16 operating rooms, additional post-anesthesia and pre- and post- recovery bays with greater privacy, as well as a new canopied main entry at Parkwood Drive with a two story lobby. The rooms on the 4th and 5th floors of the St. Simons Tower will be converted to 64 spacious private patient rooms. Construction of those areas will begin in Spring 2019, with the Surgical Services Tower slated to open in Summer 2020 and the New Inpatient Floor scheduled to open in 2021.
The $130 million project includes 74,000 sq. ft. of new construction and more than 140,000 sq. ft. of renovated space, and incorporates infrastructure upgrades to accommodate that growth. Southeast Georgia Health System President & CEO Michael D. Scherneck says, “Everyone needs health care at some point and we’ve seen patient volumes increase dramatically in recent years. This project demonstrates our ongoing dedication to providing the health care and medical services needed in our community. We are committed to maximizing available resources, and adding advanced technologies and treatments to expand those services as needed.”
The project is made possible by tax-exempt revenue bonds and the generosity of donors; however, it isn’t totally funded yet. This is where the 20-20 Vision Campaign, launched by the Health System’s Foundation in March 2018, comes in. Although more than $5 million of the $8 million goal has been raised so far, as throughout the Health System’s history, the growth and expansion of the hospital requires the support of our communities.
“We sincerely appreciate all our supporters,” says Krista Robitz, director of Development. “And we hope that everyone who values a strong community hospital that meets the health care needs for future generations will contribute to our 20-20 Vision Campaign. Giving is easy, and one-time and ongoing gifts are appreciated. Naming opportunities are also available.”
Visit sghs.org/give or wearethefoundation.org or call 912.466.3360.
