Roane General Hospital celebrates expansion
On Tuesday, officials and community members gathered at Roane General Hospital in Spencer to commemorate the addition of about 40,000-square-feet of new facilities and the renovation of about 20,000-square-feet of pre-existing facilities. (Photo Provided)
The piece “Rising Spirits,” by local artist-blacksmith Jeff Fetty, was dedicated Tuesday at a ceremony at Roane General Hospital to commemorate a recent expansion of the hospital facilities. The piece is dedicated to hospital employees and people who have lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo Provided)
On Tuesday, officials and community members gathered at Roane General Hospital in Spencer to commemorate the addition of about 40,000-square-feet of new facilities and the renovation of about 20,000-square-feet of pre-existing facilities. (Photo Provided)
The piece “Rising Spirits,” by local artist-blacksmith Jeff Fetty, was dedicated Tuesday at a ceremony at Roane General Hospital to commemorate a recent expansion of the hospital facilities. The piece is dedicated to hospital employees and people who have lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo Provided)
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SPENCER -- Roane General Hospital dedicated a $28 million-plus expansion and renovation project this week.
On Tuesday, officials and community members gathered at the Spencer health care facility to commemorate the addition of about 40,000-square-feet of new facilities and the renovation of about 20,000-square-feet of pre-existing facilities.
The expanded facilities also reflect and permit the hospital's new focus, which is as much about promotion of good health as it is on health care, officials said.
"Prior to the expansion, we didn't have the space or the vision for that," Doug Bentz, chief executive officer, said. "The vision came out of our goal of focusing on health and wellness, and it drove much of the redevelopment of the hospital."
Most of the 40,000-square-feet of new space is in the two-story Center for Health and Wellness. The top floor is the Center for Health, which includes 26 examination rooms, two waiting areas and eight nursing workstations.
With a fixed x-ray area and the ability to do all blood draws, EKGs and pulmonary testing in exam rooms, Roane General now rarely must send patients elsewhere for services, which creates a better patient experience, officials said.
The bottom floor is the Center for Wellness, which includes facilities for physical therapy, including a big therapy pool and locker rooms, cardiac rehabilitation, pulmonary rehabilitation, classroom space (for fitness education and classes) and the Healthy Way Cafe, which provides staff, patients and visitors with low-cost, healthful options for breakfast and lunch.
The new facilities make possible a new Prescription for Your Health program in which patients enter wellness contracts with primary care providers. The program, which is free for participants, has three pillars: a medical plan, an education plan with an emphasis on nutrition and a medical fitness plan.
"We are happy with what we have achieved with this expansion and renovation," Bentz said. "We are looking forward to announcing more developments within the next few months."
Although most of the new space is in the Center for Health and Wellness, the rest is mainly a new front on the pre-existing hospital which makes Roane General look like a brand-new hospital, officials said. The new front also is part of a design plan that separates public corridors from corridors for just patients and staff.
Most of the renovations are finished, but the pharmacy, infusion department and the walk-in clinic spaces are still being renovated.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development financing helped pay for the hospital's expansion and renovations. Overall, the USDA provided $22 million in direct financing and a little more than $2 million in guaranteed funding, while $4 million came from hospital contributions. Roane General is the largest private employer in the county with more than 300 staff members and a payroll of more than $20 million.
Tuesday's dedication ceremony also included dedication of a major new work, "Rising Spirits," by local artist-blacksmith Jeff Fetty. Standing in front of the hospital, it represents a vase filled with several flowers of different colors. Those colors are replicated in other elements of the hospital's design. "Rising Spirits" is dedicated to hospital employees and people who have lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The works of other local artists, including painters and quilters, are displayed on the walls of public corridors. Other walls will display notable people, places and events in local history.