Officials, well on their way to “Building the Future” at
Bradford Regional Medical Center, are now asking for the community
to help in the construction.
The Bradford Hospital Foundation launched its capital campaign –
Building the Future – Wednesday afternoon with a press conference
at the hospital. The foundation is seeking to raise at least $6
million in the five-year campaign to help fund the $14.5 million
expansion and renovation project currently under way.
“We are pleased to become part of our hospital’s future with the
announcement of this campaign and feel confident in our community’s
support for this worthwhile project,” said Foundation Board
Chairman Sandra McKinley.
According to George Leonhardt, BRMC president and chief
executive officer, already one-third of the goal – $2 million – has
been raised.
“With this type of start, we’re optimistic that we can and will
meet our goals to support this unique mix of services that we
believe most effectively address the health care needs of our
community.”
McKinley, who serves as general chairman of the campaign,
announced Ed Pecht, Ann Kessel, Dan McCune, Bill Pantuso and
Francie Ambuske are the campaign’s vice chairmen. She said about 40
people in all are involved in the philanthropy project and log in
many hours for the cause.
Calling them team leaders of the community, McKinley said “I am
honored to be part of a team of fund-raisers of this caliber and
individuals who so strongly support the mission of BRMC and its
future.”
Ambuske, the Foundation director, said the Building the Future
campaign comes from a 2005 strategic plan where officials examined
what health care the hospital needed to provide to the community,
with cardiac and care at the top of the list. The strategic plan
was adopted by the hospital’s board of directors in January
2005.
The construction plans include a five-story 65,000-square-foot
addition and outpatient care center. BRMC currently receives 10,000
to 12,000 outpatient visits a month.
Leonhardt explained the frame is up and all but one of the
floors have been poured.
“We are on time and so far, on budget,” he said, adding they
hope to occupy the building in December.
The addition, which will become the main entrance of the
hospital toward Bennett Street, will house cardiology, oncology and
surgical services.
The project will also include a coming home of sorts for some
services that have been off site, including SMART Rehab Services
and the Sleep Lab. Other areas, such as outpatient services and
Upbeat/cardiac rehab, will also expand.
The emergency department, which will have a dedicated entrance
on Interstate Parkway, will nearly double in size.
“It will be much more user-friendly,” Ambuske said of the
project. “Return to one-stop shopping” making it easier for
patients to access services.
The top three floors of the addition will be used for doctor
offices. The demand for office space has been so great, that plans
for demolishing 195 Pleasant St. have been scrapped.
“We underestimated what the demand would be,” Leonhardt said,
adding that building will be refurbished, too, including
assimilating the look to the main building.
“It’s a good problem to have,” added Dr. Richard McDowell,
chairman of BRMC’s board of directors.
The project cost remains at $14.5 million, officials said. The
parking spaces lost with that building staying up will be made up
with the demolition of another house in Interstate Parkway BRMC
recently acquired.
Sixteen practices, including oncology, cardiology, neurosciences
and vascular surgery, will be housed in the new addition.
McDowell added that a lot of information is being dispensed on
BRMC’s Web site, including a Web cam which allows people from
around the world view the progress.
While the employees have already been doing a good job, McDowell
said this project allows them to “raise the bar on ourselves” for
patient care.
Leonhardt said it was important to note that the strategic plan
was driven by what the community needs.
McKinley also announced that $1.5 million which was previously
given from the estates of sisters Dorothy Reed and Berdina Coit has
been approved by their estate for this campaign. Their gifts will
be a dollar-for-dollar match in the campaign. A $1 million naming
opportunity for women’s health has been given for Reed and $500,000
naming opportunity has been given for the new front lobby for
Coit.
One new division in the campaign is for young professionals to
attract gifts from 30- to 40-year-olds. People can also give online
at the hospital’s Web site.
One of the first major gifts was received by the Bromeley family
who committed $1 million as a naming opportunity for the new
cardiology center in memory of Jean Bromeley’s parents, Corliss and
Mary Hostettler.
The hospital auxiliary has made its largest pledge in history of
$300,000.
McKinley also announced gifts of $100,000 each from Hamlin Bank
and Northwest Savings Bank.
An intergenerational gift including three generations in honor
of Jack and Mary Nelson, Beverly Gallup’s parents.
The campaign effort will expand throughout the region as well as
in the Southern Tier.
The project is also funded through a Pennsylvania Economic
Development grant of $3 million and $6 in bond refinancing.
To date, employees have given $190,000 to the ongoing
campaign.
“After all is said and done, we provide the service,” said
Pecht, chairman elect of BRMC’s board of directors. “We look to the
employees to do that … employees really drive” (the facility).
They are also confident the community will contribute its
share.
“I believe we will get this done,” McKinley said.
