Georgia: Hospital, nursing home get new beds, upgrade others

Hutcheson Medical Center and Parkside Nursing Home patients can look forward to new, state-of-the art hospital beds when using the facilities, hospital officials announced recently.

With funds from a $35.5 million bond issued to upgrade the hospital from top to bottom, officials purchased 125 new beds and upgraded 10 beds.

The tab totaled $875,000, and the beds will be placed in the medical/surgical units, intensive care unit, labor and delivery, pediatrics and Parkside Nursing Home, officials said.

“We are very pleased to purchase these beds for the residents in our communities who depend on us for care,” Charles Stewart, president and CEO of Hutcheson Medical Center, said in a release. “It’s been a long time coming, and we know that these state-of-the art beds will improve the comfort and care of our patients.”

The beds adjust to a variety of levels to allow for movement from a prone position to a sitting position, or to rotate from side to side. The different positions also allow for increased pulmonary or breathing function for some patients, officials said.

Cost of the beds ranged from $1,700 for long-term care beds to $24,000 for intensive care beds.

Hospital officials bought the beds from Hill-Rom, an Indiana-based leading manufacturer of hospital beds, according to hospital chief marketing officer Agnes Cloud.

The new beds are part of the overall facility improvement plan that includes completely renovating all patient rooms and the main lobby and the ground floor snack/waiting room.

The plans include the lease of top of the line equipment such as a CT scanner, MRI and specialized cardiac equipment.

Hospital board member Stan Porter recently praised hospital officials for working through the economic downturn. The financing for the improvements were put into place at the beginning of 2008.

“I think the confidence level is strong,” Mr. Porter said at the unveiling of the lobby. “I am optimistic.”

Mr. Stewart added, “These are all changes and improvements that meet our mission of serving as a true community hospital and providing the highest level of care possible for our patients.”