Elizabethtown Community Health Center

Healthy Community Campaign

The Campaign to Expand and Renovate Elizabethtown Community Hospital

The improvements for ECH are designed not only to save lives but also to provide for the special diagnostic and outpatient care which would otherwise require considerable travel time and expense.

For more information, contact the Community Relations Office at Elizabethtown Community Hospital. (518) 873-3003.

PROJECT UPDATES

Community Connection-Winter 09

Spring 2008

Fall 2007

Construction Update

GIVING

Thanks to the generous support of the ECH family and the community, we have raised $2,164,000!

STEERING COMMITTEE

Gayle Alexander
Bonnie Bigelow
Rodney Boula
Rob DeMuro, M.D.
Nancy Dawson, Co-Chair
Anne Marie Denton
Lynn Edmonds
Mary Lou Grinwis
Kerry Haley
Rick Hoffmann
Phil Hutchins
Ron Jackson
Elizabeth Lawrence
George Maffey, Co-Chair
Eira Manning
Charity Marlatt
Jamie Paul Clark
Laura Sells Doyle
Monique Weston

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What will this project mean to me, my family and my community?
The projects this campaign is funding will have a profound effect on the health and well-being of our community for many years to come. The improvements are designed not only to save lives but also to provide for the special diagnostic and outpatient care which would otherwise require considerable travel time and expense. Renovations will also enhance confidentiality and privacy throughout the hospital.

To learn the complete story of how our community will benefit, see the brochure The Healthiest Investment You'll Ever Make.

How was the decision made to renovate and expand certain areas?
In 2005 the Board of Directors and hospital administration carried out a strategic planning process to determine future needs for healthcare in the region. During this same period feedback was obtained through community surveys and public forums. The current renovation and expansion plans are based on these findings. The plans were also designed to allow for future expansion of the facility if the need arises.

How much are you trying to raise?
The goal of the campaign is to raise $2 million. This will be used toward the total project cost of about $6.7 million.

How will you finance the balance?
The balance is financed through bond financing. Because of the hospital's strong financial position, ECH received a very high finance rating.

Who will be giving to this campaign?
The donor base for this campaign will represent a cross-section of the entire region, from local citizens and businesses to employees and physicians.

What is the timing of this campaign?
The campaign began in January 2007 and will continue through August 2008.

How do I make a pledge?
Making a donation to the campaign is easy. Simply fill out a pledge form and return it to Kerry Haley in the Community Relations Office.

How long do I have to pay my pledge?
Pledges may be made over a period of up to three years.

When will construction start? When will it be completed?
Construction is planned to begin in Spring 2008 and will start with the Emergency Room. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by Winter 2009.

Will the amount of my gift remain confidential?
The amount you give will always be kept in the strictest confidence, unless you specify otherwise. We will, however, recognize your gift in categories along with donors of similar-sized gifts. You may request to have your name kept anonymous.

What about naming opportunities?
Elizabethtown Community Hospital is offering a limited number of naming opportunities of $10,000 or more.

Can I donate in honor or memory of someone?
Yes. Commemorative giving is a wonderful way to honor or memorialize someone special. It is a gift that benefits others, while it continually pays tribute to a loved one, friend or family member. If you choose to commemorate someone with your gift, you may designate that person on your pledge card. A special letter of acknowledgement can be sent upon your request.

Are there tax advantages to giving?
Your gift is tax deductible as allowed by law. Please consult your accountant or tax advisor to learn more.

What is a Critical Access Hospital(CAH) and why is this designation important for the community?
The CAH is a federal designation given to hospitals with 25 or less in-patient beds, and are 35 miles or more from the nearest healthcare facility. ECH is one of 8 CAH in New York State. Enhanced reimbursement is provided to CAHs because the services they provide are essential to the communities they serve.

Why can't the hospital use Horace Nye Home space when they move out?
The Horace Nye Nursing Home is a municipal facility, owned by Essex County. While plans for a new facility are in the works, there has been no definite decision as to when that will take place or what will happen with the existing space.

What is the hospital's relationship with CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh?
Elizabethtown Community Hospital formed an affiliation with Community Providers, Inc., the parent holding company of CVPH Medical Center in 1993. While ECH retains its independence as a private not for profit hospital, the benefits of this affiliation include significant cost savings with purchasing supplies and equipment; recruitment activities; and sharing medical staff.

How does ECH collaborate with other healthcare providers in the region?
Elizabethtown Community Health Center and Westport Health Center are owned and operated by the hospital. VA Clinic is housed in and staffed by the hospital.

Smith House Health Care Center: Smith House is a freestanding health center designated as a Federally Qualified Health Center with which ECH has established a good working relationship that includes assistance with medical oversight, physician recruitment, staff training and patient consultation and referral.

Emergency Medical Squads: Ten local EMS transport patients to the hospital from around the region. As an integral part of health care delivery, squads are kept informed about hospital services by our ER Director and quarterly newsletters and are treated as part of the family.

Horace Nye Nursing Home: Horace Nye is a county owned nursing home which is connected to the hospital. ECH provides both physical therapy and laboratory services on site. Patients also utilize several outpatient services including radiology and specialty clinics. The nursing home provides food services for patients at the hospital.

	EXPANDED EMERGENCY CARE The current Emergency Department will be expanded by 64% to 3,440 square feet. The larger space will include new treatment rooms allowing for improved efficiency, stateofthe- art technology, a registration area designed for patient privacy and confidentiality, and larger work and storage areas. Additionally, a new area will provide a place for families to wait for their loved one in privacy.
	AMBULANCE DRIVE-UP AND HELICOPTER PAD A new, covered drive-up entrance to the Emergency Room will be added for ambulances transporting patients in all kinds of weather. The exterior improvements will extend to a new helicopter landing pad adjacent to the parking area, thus eliminating the dust and debris stirred up by helicopter transports to other specialized care facilities.
	CHEMOTHERAPY Relocation and expansion of the ECH Pharmacy will enable ECH to provide medical oncology. A specialized ventilating hood will make it possible to prepare chemotherapy solutions on-site. This will be a great convenience for cancer patients, saving them the 90- minute round-trip drive to the closest chemotherapy facility. This improvement will also enable ECH to become a Clinical Research Center for Phase III & IV Cancer Research Trials.
	CARDIAC REHABILITATION The ECH Outpatient Physical Therapy Department will have the needed space to develop a cardiac rehabilitation program when the Business Office moves from its present location at the Elizabethtown Community Heath Center to the main hospital building. This move is deemed imperative in light of the concentration of cardiac patients in our service area, and the great demand for rehabilitative outpatient therapy closer to patients’ homes.
	INPATIENT PHYSICAL THERAPY The Inpatient Physical Therapy Department will add more space and equipment allowing for the treatment of more patients in the sub-acute program. Following a hipreplacement, knee surgery, cardiac operation or other serious health problem, expanded inpatient physical therapy services will save families the time, expense and stress of frequent and lengthy travel.
	RADIOLOGY AND LABORATORY – MORE PATIENT-FRIENDLY The Radiology and Laboratory Departments will also expand inpatient and outpatient services. The radiology suite will be renovated to provide patients with more privacy and easier access. All radiology services and equipment will be localized into one area. The acquisition of Picture Archival & Communications Systems (PACS) in 2006 has enabled physicians to share high quality diagnostic radiology images remotely for interdisciplinary consultation and treatment planning. Additional space will be created to accommodate mobile nuclear medicine, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) services for cancer detection. A larger work area in the laboratory will allow for state-of-the-art equipment, thereby increasing in-house capabilities and greatly reducing turn-around time for routine and special testing.
	PATIENT WAITING AREA AND COMMUNITY ROOM A registration and waiting area for patients and visitors will be built at the hospital’s new main entrance. Patients will register for testing and clinics in a space that provides confidentiality, privacy and comfort. A volunteerstaffed front desk will provide directions, information and a friendly welcome to the hospital. The addition of a new multi-functional community room will be available for staff education, local EMS training and community wellness events. The room will also be available as a meeting space for local organizations sharing our health promotion mission.