This will be the first time I have devoted this column to a single issue but it is one that is most deserving because it is the most important quality of life opportunity facing all our citizens:
NOVANT HEALTHCARE UPDATE--I hope you have seen and read "The Future of Healthcare in Holly Springs". If not, we have an adequate supply at Town Hall. In that release, their proposed services include 46 private rooms, an intensive care unit, a 24-hour emergency department with 16 treatment rooms, maternity services, surgical operating rooms, imaging services including a 64-slice CT, X-ray, mobile MRI, digital mammography, ultrasound, a nuclear medicine camera and other diagnostic services, a full service laboratory & pharmacy, outpatient services, and will open with over 200 employees. Those are only some of the reasons we must strongly support this venture. Other reasons include "Novant's model is to deliver quality care into the community, and that is exactly what we're proposing with our application (in other words, they bring the hospital to the community, not the community to the hospital), residents of this area deserve a hospital close to home, and we are extremely grateful for the overwhelming community support"-as we are with their tremendous support. If one of our citizens requires immediate assistance (could be a heart attack, an accident with serious injuries, some one (especially a child) that is having difficulty breathing, then the closest hospital is Cary WakeMed and the closest urgent care unit is past the 55 railroad trestle in Apex-both fine institutions. However, did you ever try to get there during rush-hour traffic? It can take 30-35 minutes and that is not an acceptable answer for us, for our friends in Fuquay-Varina, Willow Springs, South Garner, or Angier. Southern Wake is and has been underserved in healthcare (along with many other issues) and when you plug in the growth and the increasing traffic (which will only get worse) we all need this hospital!
SOME SPECIFICS--the proposed site for the new facility is on 20 acres at the southern intersection of the 55 bypass and Ralph Stevens Road just behind Wal-Mart and the new Lowe's Improvement Center (yes, Lowe's). The number of beds requested is 47 and the "chassis" will be built to accommodate up to 100 beds with adequate additional acreage to handle further needs in the future. According to Katie Gillespie, Novant Public Relations, "Novant Health is a not-for-profit organization that consists of 262 physician clinics and nine hospitals throughout North Carolina: Presbyterian Hospital, Presbyterian Orthopedic Hospital, Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville (which we visited recently), Presbyterian Hospital Matthews of the Charlotte area; Rowan Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Forsyth Medical Center, Medical Park Hospital and Thomasville Medical Center in the Triad region, and Brunswick Community Hospital near the coast". They are also currently constructing three new hospitals, similar to the proposed Holly Springs facility. Novant is also ranked fourth nationally among the Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks in the country and have earned many other major awards. It sounds to me like this is a perfect fit with our area. Their number one job responsibility is to provide a remarkable patient experience, in every dimension, every time. Good by me.
NEXT STEPS--after receiving approximately 13,000 letters of support from Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina (whose Town Board also passed without objection a memorandum of support, WE THANK YOU BUT WE NEED MORE. Our goal is for 10-13,000 more and if you haven't filled out the letter (and the process has been extended by the state), you can submit your letter online at www.myhollyspringshospital.org, or fax to 704-316-9649, or mail it to Novant Public Relations, PO Box 33549, Charlotte, NC 28233. In that letter to Ms. Lee Hoffman, Chief, Certificate of Need Section, NC Division of Health Service Regulation, 2704 Mail Service Center, Raleigh NC 27696-2704. If you come to Town Hall, we have this letter already printed and all you have to do is fill in your reasons why you support and add your name and address. One of my friends stated in his, "because I don't want to die on the way to Cary or Apex"-well said.
OTHER DETAILS--on Friday, the 15th, Mark Billings, Mayor John Byrne, and I did a radio interview with the Triangle Business Journal, a television interview with NBC 17, and attended the submittal by Barbara Freedy of Novant for our application to the State. The CON (certificate of need) hearing will be held probably in September or maybe in October in Raleigh (time and place TBD). I would hope that we can fill at least two big busses with citizens supporting Novant and I am informed that each may be given up to two minutes to speak on our hospital's behalf. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING US AND I HOPE YOU ARE, JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL WITH NAMES, ADDRESSES, EMAIL ADDRESSES, TELEPHONE NUMBERS--OR CALL ME AT 919-557-3901 AND I WILL GET BACK TO YOU WITH DETAILS. LET'S SHOW THE STATE THAT WE WILL NOT BE DENIED! ARE YOU WITH US? THE CORRECT ANSWER IS "YES".
Oh yes, in summary, please drive safely, obey our crosswalks, don't speed (big brother may be watching), and don't tailgate. Till next time, have a great week!
