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This is a rear view of the $40 million Heritage Medical Center, now under construction in Airport Industrial Park. BE&K Construction of Brentwood is the contractor for the project, which was designed by Thomas, Miller & Partners LLC of Brentwood. (T-G Photo by John I. Carney) |
"We're not moving into this hospital as who we were," said Dan Buckner, as he showed a reporter around what will be called Heritage Medical Center, now under construction in Airport Industrial Park.
The changes which occur this July will be both real and cosmetic, as Bedford County Medical Center renames itself Heritage and moves into a new 104,000-square-foot facility.
The hospital plans to host a town hall meeting Feb. 22 to discuss its plans for the new hospital with the public. The meeting will be held in the BCMC auditorium in the existing facility on Union Street.
A light lunch will be served, and seating is limited, so reservations must be made by calling 685-5592.
The town hall is just one of a number of initiatives the hospital is making to improve patient care and customer service.
The hospital has a goal of recruiting 6-10 new physicians this year, and should be on track with half that many by the time the new hospital opens. New physicians in the community mean new opportunities for care, including new specialties, and are said to be critical to a hospital building a long-term relationship with patients.
Buckner said customer service consultants are being brought in to improve the patient experience.
The new emergency room at Heritage Medical Center will feature a "fast or free" guarantee; if patients don't get to see a physician within 30 minutes of arrival, they will not have to pay for the visit. Total turnaround time for ER patients averages 2 hours, 45 minutes at the current facility, but Buckner said it will be reduced to two hours at the new location. He said even the 2 hours and 45 minutes is shorter than emergency rooms in Murfreesboro and Nashville.
Buckner said billing will be friendlier, with more payment and financing options.
Buckner said he plans to standardize and color-code staff uniforms so that staff, patients and family members can easily distinguish employees from different departments and job functions, for example.
Family members of surgery patients will even be given pagers while in the hospital, so that they can be quickly summoned even if they are in the cafeteria or stretching their legs.
I am going to 2nd what nurse said. ER are just that ER's, not where you go for a cold and the sniffles.
I think Bedford County should have a positive attitude toward a new medical facility. There will always be those who think they should be at the top of the list when presenting to an ER. In recent years, ER's are used and Abused as a clinic, mostly non emergent problems. If an ER is bombarded with the non emergent's, then who suffers? Who cries the loudest over wait times? Most of the feedback will be the cold symtoms who complain the most. Generally speaking those who are really sick are grateful, and seem to complain the least. People should take responsibility, and most of all use what has died, just use some "COMMON SENSE". I'm grateful to my Mother for having common sense and not abusing healthcare.
Bedford County ER is a fine facility with caring, professional's. Its not a Wal Mart for who shouts the loudest on returning an item, drawing attention to themselves. Its not a drive through with service as quick as McDonalds. BC is as most ER's a facility as the name states an "Emergency Room". Emergency- is defined as "needing immediate action". Give your local facility a chance. Consider alternate means if you get tired of a long wait. Why not have a regular doctor, and use the ER's for what they were intended?
It sure couldn't hurt their image
i dont think that new building is going to help the attitude of the people of bedfordcounty that have nothing but bad experances with the bedford hospital
You may get service sooner when you arrive, but how much longer is it going to take to get you there from the south side of town down 231 ????
Just because you are moving into a new building will not make the "hospital" any better, without working on the people's attitude! I know that there are some people there that truly love their jobs and the people that they help, but then there is some that I dealt with within the past few weeks, that really needs to work on their bed side manners! There is just no reason to be soooo hateful! esp. with a child! I refuse to go to Bedford Co hospital, just because of they way we were recently treated! I just don't think a new building is going to change the bad name that they have built for themselves in the past years.
Recently my husband was seen in BCMC ER experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath. He was rushed to the back, immediately placed on monitoring devices, and monitored very closely. Blood, chest x-rays, and an EKG were all completed. It was finally determined that it was not a heart attack. They were able to give him medications there in the ER to ease the symptoms as well as the root cause, and gave him prescriptions to get filled later. His care was very good in my opinion. He presented with similar symptoms in Tullahoma and was taken to Harton. They did hardly anything, and only pumped him full of pain killers instead of addressing the root cause. I have dealt with many facilities in my professional career, and must say that BCMC may be an old facility, but the staff was great. I'm very excited about how it will improve with the new building.
People need to remember...if you don't think the diagnosis is correct, be assertive...insist on another consult...you have rights a patient. Don't just assume the facility is inept...it may be just that one doctor who has no business practicing, and some staff that are less than professional. Tell the administration...if you don't tell them, they'll never know.
I don't quite understand how moving to a new facility can speed up the time you are in the ER. If you can do it there(new facility) then why can it not be done while you are at BCMC? What is the difference?
It's very nice to hear they are optimistic to changes. The last time I went to ER in Shelbyville I thought I was having a heart attack. They told me it was heroin withdrawal. They must have been psychic because they never pulled blood and I have never experienced heroin. They sent me away. I spent close to 4 hours there and was never given so much as a drink of water while I listened to ER employees laugh and cut up while I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. I didn't go home, but was at my doctor's doorstep when they opened. He recognized in about 5 minutes I was having panic attacks which worsened with the stress of not being helped. I was completely better within 20 minutes of taking an anti-anxiety med.
I know there are good stories and I know some people have been helped there, but my personal experience with medical help was a nightmare.
I hope you stay committed to the new image, because you sure could use it.