The Future of Surgery at Beebe Healthcare
Find out more about the Specialty Surgical Hospital planned for the Beebe Health Campus near Rehoboth Beach.
For more than 100 years, Beebe Healthcare has served the Delaware Beach community and surrounding areas of Sussex County. As the community has grown, Beebe has also grown – from a small family hospital to a large, state-of-the-art healthcare system.
Sussex County is one of the fastest growing counties in the nation. The population of the Lewes-Rehoboth area is projected to grow 9.2 percent in the next five years, higher than Sussex County at 7.4 percent growth rate, and much higher than the U.S. population at a 3.8 percent growth rate.
With its eyes on the future and its roots running deep in eastern Sussex County, Beebe Healthcare’s leaders have proposed a $180 million expansion, which will bring quality care to the community.
“We want to meet the people in our community where they live, work, and vacation,” said Rick Schaffner, RN, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer with Beebe. “When we were talking about the future, we agreed that what the community needs is more access to the care we provide. This is why we focused on putting the care where the people are, instead of building in just one location where people would have to travel.”
An Eye to the Future
Beebe leaders also focused on incorporating innovation and the latest technology into their plans.
“As we acquire the latest technology and equipment, hire more physicians and improve our systems, patient and physician demand for Beebe services has increased,” said Jeffrey M. Fried, FACHE, President & CEO of Beebe Healthcare. “We think our plan is an innovative response to growth of the population, to expectations of healthcare customers for excellent service provided in convenient locations, and the insurance companies’ requirements that we be as efficient and cost-effective as possible.”
At the Beebe Health Campus – Rehoboth Beach, Beebe is planning to build a Specialty Surgical Hospital for inpatient and outpatient procedures. Surgical procedures will be focused on less complex cases for patients requiring a shorter inpatient stay. In addition, the Specialty Surgical Hospital will allow Beebe to plan for future robotic technologies and the potential to establish a Minimally Invasive Surgical Center of Excellence.
“We know that we can create a better experience for these patients by developing a site just for them and not mixing them with trauma, emergency, and intensive care,” Mr. Fried said.
Beebe’s integrated design team is currently in the schematic phase of planning for the surgical hospital, however Mr. Schaffner says it will likely be a three-story building. He envisions the majority of orthopaedic surgeries will be done at the new facility, as well as urology, general surgery, and gynecologic surgery procedures.
A portion of the funding needed for the expansion will come from charitable contributions being sought through a major capital campaign led by Beebe Medical Foundation. To donate, go to www.nextgenerationofcare.org/give-now.
Beebe will unveil more details of its plans over the next several months as building designs are completed. Community meetings, events, and publications are planned to keep the community informed of the expansion of healthcare services.
“Our patients and our community have helped to make us the premier healthcare provider in our area. It’s something we’re very proud of and also something we take very seriously. Our staff and physicians work every day to earn the community’s trust and confidence in the care we provide. Our region has grown, and our health system is prepared to grow right along with it,” Mr. Fried said.
PICTURED: Beebe Healthcare Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer Rick Schaffner