Healthcare is Changing, and So is Beebe
The way people receive healthcare services is changing rapidly across the country, and Beebe has been changing how it cares for this community, too. Since the peak in hospital admissions reached early last year, Beebe has successfully reduced the number of people who need to stay in the hospital, through its efforts to broaden and elevate its outpatient care, and keep people healthy.
With a greater emphasis on outpatient care, prevention, and care coordination, Beebe’s Board of Directors plans to enhance and expand access to advanced medical technologies and outpatient services rather than proceeding with the construction of additional inpatient rooms on the Lewes Campus.
“Hospitals and health systems throughout the country have worked very hard over the past few years to transform the way that healthcare is delivered,” said Jeffrey M. Fried, FACHE, President and CEO, Beebe Healthcare. “Likewise, Beebe Healthcare has been transforming the way we provide care, too. The future of healthcare includes more care being provided in convenient and efficient outpatient settings, and less care requiring an extended stay in a hospital. We have thoughtfully considered the national, regional, and local factors that impact the utilization of healthcare services, including demographic changes, the increased prevalence of chronic disease, changes in technology and medical advancements, and population health management strategies that all reduce the rate of inpatient hospitalization,” said Mr. Fried.
As such, Beebe will not be building the proposed four-story building on the Lewes Campus. Instead, the Specialty Surgical Hospital planned for the Rehoboth Beach Campus will be expanded to include space for labor and delivery, freeing up additional space at the medical center in Lewes for inpatient beds that may be needed as the community continues to grow.
“After careful review, we strongly believe that this is the right approach to ensure that we can remain focused on providing the right mix of inpatient, outpatient, and emergency care services to improve the health of the communities we serve, enhance patient experience, and provide care in the most cost effective and fiscally sound manner possible,” said Mr. Fried.
Enhancements to the Medical Center
Though a new inpatient wing will not be built, we have worked with Margaret and Randall Rollins to redirect their historic $10 million gift to other priorities on the Lewes Campus. With agreement from their Ma-Ran Foundation, the gift received last year will be used to make significant renovations on the Lewes Campus to better serve patients, visitors and caregivers. These include interior renovations, expansion of the West Lobby, additional parking, beautifying the corner of 4thand Savannah Road, and remodeling of patient rooms. In consideration for their incredible generosity, the Board of Directors of Beebe Healthcare voted to rename the campus to the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus.
“I completely support the decision that Beebe is making with regard to the revised expansion plans and believe it is the right thing to do for the community. Our family is happy to have our gift support the renovation of the Lewes Campus. We welcome the opportunity to transform this historic campus,” said Margaret (Peggy) H. Rollins.
South Coastal, Rehoboth Plans Remain the Same
Plans for the construction of other expansion projects will not be changing.
Construction of the new South Coastal Health Campus in Millville is on schedule with groundbreaking planned for this fall and completion expected in 2020. This campus will include a freestanding emergency department and will be a second location for Beebe’s renowned cancer program, offering medical oncology, chemotherapy and radiation oncology.
Groundbreaking for the new Specialty Surgical Hospital on the Rehoboth Beach Health Campus is planned for spring 2019, with completion projected for 2022. This facility will serve as the new hub for scheduled inpatient and outpatient surgical services and will be the future home of Beebe’s labor and delivery for women and newborn babies and the Center for Robotic Surgery.
“This is an exciting time in healthcare,” added Fried. “We are grateful for the community’s support and belief in Beebe. We’re proud to be enhancing and expanding access to Beebe Healthcare’s services and working to best meet the next generation of care and needs of our patients and community.”