THE BELLEVUE HOSPITAL VISION IS SET TO
BECOME A REALITY:
TBH REPLACEMENT FACILITY TO BE CONSTRUCTED
June 27, 2003 --
What began with a strategic planning session over three years ago will culminate
with a groundbreaking on June 27 for a $36 million replacement facility for The
Bellevue Hospital.
The hospital board of trustees in April gave the final go-ahead for construction
of the new facility, which will carry a construction cost of $27 million and a
final overall cost of $35,948,624, which includes fees, equipment, and
contingency funds.
“This is an exciting time for our community,” said Thomas Barth, chairman of the
board at The Bellevue Hospital (TBH). “A modern facility will create a
patient-centered healing environment allowing us to combine the most recent
technological advances with our strong tradition of caring. This will be a local
hospital, directed by local community leaders, and will ensure our future
healthcare needs are served for generations to come.”
The hospital board began strategic planning in June of 2000. After two years of
research, which included looking at expanding the current facility or building a
replacement hospital, the board voted in March of 2002 to proceed with pursuing
a replacement facility. “The deciding factors for building at this time include
the age of and lack of area to expand the current facility, the increasing
patient usage of the hospital, along with the current low interest rates and
competitive market in the construction industry,” added Barth.
A total of 15 architectural firms then submitted plans. Those designs were then
culled to three finalists, and from there, GSI, from Cleveland, was awarded the
design work. “One of the key factors in the decision was that, in the GSI
drawings, the hospital did not take on an ‘institutional’ look,” said Michael K.
Winthrop, president and CEO of TBH. “The exterior ‘prairie style’ look of the
GSI design will fit in nicely with the surrounding landscape, while the internal
design is sleek, open, and accessible.
The replacement facility will be constructed on part of the hospital-owned 109
acres of property at the corner of U.S. 20 West and Township Road 302, two miles
west of downtown Bellevue on U.S. 20. Approximately 32 acres will be used during
the construction of the facility, allowing for plenty of potential expansion in
years to come.
“With the new hospital being located only four miles from Clyde and accessible
from U.S. 20, it will be a great asset to the citizens of our community and
surrounding area,” commented TBH Board Member Joe Wilson, of Clyde. “It is nice
to know, in case of an emergency, a hospital is so close.”
JOINT EFFORT FOR FUNDING
One of the most important decisions the board had to make regarding a
replacement facility was cost and how to afford the $36 million price tag.
Collaboration with two area healthcare facilities solved that problem.
“Firelands Regional Medical Center, Sandusky, and Norwalk Area Health Systems,
Inc. are investment equity owners in this replacement facility,” said Winthrop.
“Each will be investing $7.5 million to help us finance the building. In return,
they will each occupy two seats on our hospital board of trustees. However, TBH
will retain 15 seats on the board.
“The bottom line,” continued Winthrop, “Is that TBH will always maintain
majority control over the new facility. The remainder of the cost will be
financed through bonds issued by Fifth Third Bank. Also, our hospital will be
initiating a $2 million capital campaign to help offset some of the costs.
“This new facility will not affect taxes in any way,” said Winthrop. “The
Bellevue Hospital receives no tax money to operate the facility.”
A COMMON SENSE LOCATION
One of the most frequently asked questions of Winthrop and hospital officials
is, why the Township Road 302 site for the new hospital?
“Our board looked at several locations in town and outside of town,” stated
Winthrop. “We settled on this site for a couple of reasons. One, this site is
within the Bellevue city limits. Secondly, although 48-percent of our business
comes from the Bellevue zip code area, nearly 40-percent of our business comes
from the Clyde zip code, and another 10-percent from the Fremont zip code area,
so locating the hospital on the west side of Bellevue makes sense.
The location for the new facility is directly across U.S. 20 from the offices of
Advanced Family Eyecare, Dr. Frank Komorowski, Cook, Smith & Schmidt CPA’s, and
Edward D. Jones Investments.
“And, the design of the health care campus already has ‘expansion zones’ built
into it. There will be plenty of room for future growth and expansion, and there
is a development study underway for a medical office building to be located
on-site,” added Winthrop.
BUILT WITH THE PATIENT IN MIND
The new facility, according to Winthrop, will be much more patient friendly than
the 86-year old facility on Northwest Street.
“It really will be patient-focused. This facility will contain all private
rooms, better lighting, improved parking, curbless driveways, better signage,
and much, much more,” explained Winthrop.
“There will be two separate Emergency Room entrances, one for walk-in patients,
and a private entrance for emergency vehicles,” continued Winthrop. “There will
also be an out-patient entrance and a physician/employee entrance. The main
entrance will face U.S. 20, and from there, people can walk to the dining area,
Physical Therapy, Administration, Lab, Cardiopulmonary, and Medical Records
Departments. Radiology and Surgery will be located convenient to the Emergency
Room. All of the private patient rooms, including the Intensive Care Unit and
Family Birthing Center, will be located on the second floor.”
Overall, the hospital will have 50 inpatient beds (compared to 48 now), 35
outpatient beds (17 now), and 336 parking spaces (262 now). Emergency services
will increase from six exam rooms to 11, including two trauma rooms. Overall,
the new facility will encompass 129,000 square feet, compared to the current
88,000 square foot building.
Much of the existing medical equipment will be transferred to the new facility.
OPTIONS OPEN FOR CURRENT FACILITY
The other most frequently asked question of hospital officials is, “what will
become of the current facility, which was originally constructed as a public,
non-profit hospital in 1917?”
“Administration and the hospital’s board are evaluating options,” continued
Winthrop. “Ideas include a long-term acute care facility and senior housing.
Right now, it is undetermined what will happen to the Northwest Street facility.
We will be working hard to see that there is an appropriate use for the facility
once we vacate it.”
“Even though there are more decisions to make and much work to be done, what a
special time this is for our hospital and our community,” said Beverly DeBlase,
TBH board member. “We have been planning and working toward this goal for many
years and to realize it is close to being a reality is very exciting. The
citizens of our community need to be thanked for their support over these many
years.”
One of the three largest employers in Bellevue, TBH employs more than 375
people, has 39 active medical staff doctors, 67 courtesy staff doctors, 12
allied health professionals, and four emergency medicine physicians.
For the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2002, TBH provided nearly $50 million in
billable services, with a total of 2,413 inpatient admissions.
The groundbreaking for the new facility is set for 9 a.m. on Friday, June 27,
2003. The public is invited to attend. Completion of the new hospital is
scheduled for April, 2005.
