WTOC, Savannah, Georgia, news, weather and sports | Health Care has a new home in Vidalia
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By Melanie Ruberti - bio | email
VIDALIA, GA (WTOC) - With a scoop of red dirt, a vision became a reality for neighbors in the heart of sweet onion country. With Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue lending a hand, Meadows Regional Medical Center broke ground on it's new facility in Vidalia.
"Our ER will be twice the size we have now," exclaimed registered nurse Peggy Fountain, Emergency Department director. "We can treat our patients better and faster. That's exciting to me."
Peggy has worked in the ER at Meadows for 30 years. The old hospital opened its doors back in 1963. While its expanded and had some up grades, Peggy believes it's time for a new home. "Yesterday, we had 101 patients in the ER, with a 13 bed facility," explained Peggy. "So we're moving a grooving most of the time, trying to move patients around."
It was hard to visualize the new building on Wednesday, amid piles of Georgia red clay and construction equipment. But when the new facility is complete, it will boast 64 private patient rooms and 23 beds in the ER and Trauma center. The total cost is around $92.5 million.
But well worth the cost with all new technology and state of the art equipment. Alan Kent, president and CEO of Meadows Regional, believes the new hospital will be the lifeline to Toombs County and beyond. "This strengthens our community," he said. "It adds jobs and creates opportunities for us to continue to grow our community and make it a healthier place to live."
"It's more than just that," governor Sonny Perdue added. "It's what it says about the community, about what it is willing to invest in, like a new school. It's powerful."
Powerful enough to bring the entire community out in the hot, south Georgia sun. They wanted to see the beginnings of their new hospital, and home. " I can visualize it," exclaimed RN Vickie Gaultney, Director of Pediatrics," I'm excited."
The new Meadows Regional Medical Center will open in December 2010.
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