The Georgia Scroll
October 1997
Phoebe Putney Memorial
Hospital
Albany, Georgia
Decades of citizen leadership have molded Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital into a progressive healthcare system, responsive to the needs of its region. The final chapter of the Phoebe history book begins with the words . . . "Phoebe entered the last decade of the twentieth century larger than ever, stronger than ever, and more committed than ever to its mission."
"Over the last 86 years, Phoebe's financial strength has allowed us the opportunity to expand our services and facilities to meet the healthcare needs of the citizens in Southwest Georgia," said Ed Ollie, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Phoebe Putney Health Systems. This 450 bed acute care facility, located in Albany, carries on the tradition of offering high quality healthcare in the most modern facilities utilizing state-of-the-art equipment and technology at the lowest possible cost to all in need, regardless of the ability to pay.
In April 1997, Phoebe completed a $18.4 million, 48,450 square foot North Expansion project that expanded emergency/trauma facilities and enhanced women+s services. The 18-month project doubled the size of several major hospital services. Regional perinatal and birthing services now includes 10 labor/delivery/recovery rooms, two ante-partum rooms for monitoring high risk pregnancies and two C-section rooms for high risk deliveries. A new 14,000 square foot Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is being built adjacent to the new birthing center, assuring sick babies of immediate access to vital equipment. The Emergency Center"s relocation and expansion of 25,000 square feet includes 32 private treatment areas and two dedicated trauma rooms furnished with ceiling mounted x-ray equipment.
"From the day Phoebe opened in 1911, two of the first three patients were from outside Dougherty County. Over the past year, we have sought to strengthen our commitment to the region," said Joel Wernick, President/CEO of Phoebe Putney Health Systems.
Phoebe's Family Medical Centers located in Arlington, Ashburn, Dawson, Camilla, Colquitt, Cuthbert and Sylvester provide healthcare services in medically underserved areas in our region. "Another way we are assisting the region is by training family practice physicians through the Southwest Georgia Family Practice Residency Program," continued Wernick. With the recent purchase of home care agencies, Phoebe can also provide the citizens of our region with home health, durable medical equipment, respiratory therapy, and home infusion services, as well as private duty nurses, sitters and housekeepers.
As Phoebe prepares for the turn of the century, the newest member of their family - Phoebe Northwest - continues this amazing tradition. According to Wernick, "During the 1990s, our citizen board challenged us to increase our role in disease prevention and health education in the community. They agreed that keeping citizens healthy and preventing illness would be the best way to control health care costs and promote prosperity. Phoebe Northwest is a culmination of that commitment."
In July 1997, Phoebe opened its new $7.6 million 73,000 square foot center for a healthier community, now known as Phoebe Northwest. "This is the most remarkable transformation. For nearly 20 years, the building served as a neighborhood grocery store. To a few visionary citizens, this vacant 6.4 acre site was a possibility. These persons saw a space big enough to hold a full range of outpatient rehabilitation and physical medicine services, a residency training program and its clinic, a second ConvenientCare location, a conference center, the Golden Key 55 Plus senior membership program as well as a YMCA transition office for rehab patients requiring medical supervision," said Wernick.
The Phoebe Physical Medicine Center is a major component of Phoebe Northwest. In an arena style setting with an elevated indoor track, this state-of-the-art facility provides a comprehensive range of services from physical, occupational and speech therapy, to nutrition counseling and exercise physiology. They also treat all types of rehab patients, including cardiac and stroke. Another important feature is the Activities of Daily Living Module, a small apartment where patients learn to cope with transitioning to the home setting when serious injury or illness makes resuming normal activity difficult. There is also a Pediatric Activity Center offering physical, occupational and speech therapy designed especially for children.
The Southwest Georgia Family Practice Residency Program and its clinic, the Phoebe Family Care Center, is also housed at Northwest. Seventeen family physicians are currently enrolled in the three-year training program that will prepare them for practicing in rural communities. Another great feature is a large medical library for the residents and faculty of the program.
Phoebe Northwest also offers ConvenientCare, dedicated to the treatment of minor injuries and illnesses. According to Wernick, "ConvenientCare's goal is to insure that every citizen has a primary physician." In conjunction with Phoebe's Physician Referral Service, patients without a healthcare provider are provided with physician information, referred to a physician and follow-up appointments are made with that physician.
Community health education programs and events focusing on health promotion will be coordinated through the Northwest Conference Center. The Center can accommodate up to 300 people and serves as the main headquarters for Phoebe+s community health and wellness programs.
Phoebe Northwest is truly a convenience for citizens of Albany and surrounding counties. "Phoebe's continued commitment to reinvest in the community by providing the citizens of Southwest Georgia with the most comprehensive healthcare services available is proven once again by the opening of our new world class Northwest facility that is the best of its kind in Georgia," said Wernick.
The final page of Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital's history book quotes from Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Phoebe's expansion continues to represent its commitment to the citizens of Southwest Georgia to change its part of the world.