In the coming days, a lot of change is in the works at Newman Regional Health.
The first wave of change happens over the next week as Newman ExpressCare moves from Flinthills Mall to the hospital’s new emergency department complex on the south side of the hospital. CEO Bob Wright says Express Care is moving for two related reasons: patient traffic and available space.
ExpressCare will move Thursday and should be open for patients Dec. 22. Wright says the same list of medical services will be available after the changeover. The financial process, however, will change. Currently, ExpressCare requires an upfront payment of some sort. After the move, Wright says patients will get financial options after their treatment, including income-based financial assistance or payment plans.
The new emergency department, meanwhile, should move by Dec. 30. When asked what patients will notice that’s new about the facility, Wright followed with a question of his own: “What won’t they notice?”
In addition, the Clinical Decision Unit or patient observation unit will likely move by Jan. 6. The new cath lab holding area and new infusion clinic should open by mid-January. Wright says it made sense to move ExpressCare and the Clinical Decision Unit, as well as create the new cath lab holding area and infusion clinic, because those services are all associated with emergency care — so it made sense to have them in one location instead of several.
A public open house for ExpressCare will be held Dec. 23 from 1:30-3:30 pm. Separate staff open houses are coming Thursday and Dec. 22.
