March 18th / 20th, 2011
"Kernersville Medical Center Arrives"
In 1964 Forsyth Medical Center opened its doors in Winston-Salem, just a
few blocks from my home. Even as a 10 year old kid I knew this was pretty
special. After all, most hospitals get to witness the birth of people, but
most people don't get to witness the birth of a hospital. Now, 46 years later
I am a resident of Kernersville, and a brand new hospital is opening its
doors just a short distance from my house. If I didn't know better, I'd
think that Novant was stalking me, but in truth, the healthcare company has
merely been responding to my needs.
A half century ago, Kernersville was a small town with a couple of
stoplights. Today it is the heart of the Piedmont Triad region with over 100,000
people living in the surrounding Guilford/Forsyth corridor. As the heart of
the Triad grew, so too did its need for accessible healthcare, with the
emphasis on accessible.
I-40 was a grand artery when it opened in 1957, but now it is in need of
repair and expansion. Traffic often comes to a stand still when road crews
are at work, and that situation will only get worse as the DOT plans to shut
down entire sections of I-40 (going both ways) for a full year. For
residents in the greater Kernersville region, access to Forsyth, Baptist, or
Moses Cone hospitals was becoming increasingly problematic. All this, along
with a growing population made Kernersville the logical location for Novant's
(and the State's) newest hospital.
And what a hospital it is. Kernersville Medical Center, which straddles
the Forsyth/Guilford line just off highway 66, features 50 inpatient beds,
all of which include a private bathroom and a built in day bed to accommodate
overnight stays for loved ones. KMC also offers a 14 bed Emergency
department, and four operating rooms. Additionally, the new hospital has an
outpatient services department that is easy to navigate, and includes special
services for diabetes and ostomy patients. The hospital also includes a wound
care center, a cafe, a chapel, and a expansive pharmacy.
But perhaps KMC's biggest asset is its President, Joanne Allen, a former
nurse and long time Novant administrator. With care and compassion so
important to wellness and recovery, who better to lead a hospital than a nurse?
Allen has overseen construction and installation of equipment for the $100
million dollar facility. She has also already hired over 200 employees, and
attracted over 400 physicians who will have admitting privileges.
To paraphrase the ghost voice in "Field of Dreams", "If you build it, they
will come". In this case the "they" are doctors and patients, evidenced by
the fact that three weeks prior to the grand opening, over 30 surgeries
were already scheduled to begin on March 16.
Last week I emceed a special event to honor all those who had worked so
hard to bring Kernersville Medical Center to this area, and I was reminded of
the tremendous team effort it took to make KMC a reality. It took the
vision of longtime Novant CEO Paul Wiles. It took the cheerleading of medical
director Dr. Charles Record. It took the community coordination of
Foundation chairman Arnold King, and the support of local elected officials, all
coming together for the good of the region. The result of their combined
efforts is a beautiful new hospital that is large enough to serve the diverse
needs a of a growing population , and small enough to provide personalized
care with a good bedside manner.
I don't know where I'll be in another 40 years, but I can be sure that
Novant will be ready for me, probably having just built some space age,
combination hospital/assisted living complex in my new neighborhood. That's
because Novant always seems to know what I need, when I need it, and where I
need it, sort of like a good friend who can predict your every move . And so,
I'm celebrating the birth of my old friend's newest addition. Here's to the
birth of Kernersville Medical Center.
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