Bedford County Hospital's BIG MOVE!!

Hospital set for big moveThursday, July 10, 2008By Sadie Fowler
Patients at Bedford County Medical Center, located on Union Street, will be moved Saturday to the new Heritage Medical Center on U.S. 231 North.
"The move is right on schedule with all the new equipment in place, tested and approved," said Pam Fisher, public relations and marketing director. "The final state survey was conducted on Monday, July 7, and our license for operations was granted with zero deficiencies."
The emergency department at the Union Street hospital will offically close at 7 a.m. Saturday, and will open at the new hospital at the same time.
With the help of other agencies, including Bedford County Emergency Medical Service, Bedford County Emergency Management Agency, and the Shelbyville Police Department, hospital officials have come up with an efficient plan for the move.
"We have developed a Patient Move Sequence that assures a systematic approach to moving our patients in a timely and safe manner," said Dan Buckner, hospital chief executive officer, in a letter sent to the Times-Gazette. "Patient safety is the number one goal of the move."
In addition to EMS and the Shelbyville Police Department, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Vanderbilt Medical Center and Robbins Security will help execute the move.
Four advanced life support units will transport patients, one patient per unit, unless a unit is transporting a mother and newborn baby, Fisher said.
"These will be off-duty units, alleviating any impact on EMS coverage to the county during the move," Buckner said.
The police department and highway patrol will ensure that the route between the two hospitals is secure, enabling units transporting patients to travel without obstructions.
"Vanderbilt's Angel Unit will provide transportation for any unstable infants as determined by the attending physician," Buckner said.
The hospital move team has already conducted trial runs.
"Alongside of Bedford County EMA and EMS, the team has conducted three tabletop drills and one actual role-play patient relocation," said Fisher. "The tabletop drills included transporting of paper patients and coordination of the communication involved with sending and receiving patients."
Once patients are at their new location Saturday, Robbins Security and the police department will ensure that they, as well as visitors and hospital staff, are safe and secure.
"Due to the serious nature of this move, no media or members of the public beyond that of the immediate family will be allowed on the campus of Heritage Medical Center on July 12," Buckner said, noting that the new hospital, which is completely smoke-free, will be open to the public Sunday.
In order to permit the staff to focus on patients and patient safety, the visitation policy will be different than normal on Saturday.
"Each patient will be provided a visitor badge that they may provide to the person of their choice," Fisher said. "This badge is required to obtain entry into the new hospital during the actual patient move. Each patient's designated visitor will be able to wait at the hospital in the dining area, the waiting area, or the gift shop area while all patients are being transported."
Buckner said Community Health Systems, which owns the new hospital, appointed a specialized team early in the building process to oversee the execution of the details of the new hospital's opening.
"This experienced team has overseen multiple hospital moves using a proven Patient Move Sequence model," Buckner said.
Fisher said she's extremely excited about Saturday, after months of planning.
"Through dedication, determination and the tireless efforts of our employees, medical staff, our city and county officials and their agencies, we are preparing to open the doors to begin a new era in healthcare for the patients and their families we serve," Fisher said.
NEW NUMBERS
New phone numbers, effective July 12, for Heritage Medical Center are: 685-5433 (main); and 685-8301 (scheduling).