Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital's 50 million dollar renovation project is nearing completion. Workers have cleared the area for the new helipad of trees and underbrush, and are grading the land in preparation for the concrete pad.

The helipad will be located just outside the entrance to the new emergency room. This will allow for patients to be moved directly from the ER to the pad in the shortest distance possible. It will also enable ambulances transporting patients from accident scenes to drive to the helipad for transfer of the patient.

"There's never been a 50 million dollar project in Elkin before," Dr. Jim Harrell, Sr., former Hugh Chatham board chairman said. "We are very excited that Elkin and the surrounding area will have access to a state of the art hospital.

A short story about the helipad, years ago R.T. Chatham, Hugh Chatham, and myself went to a cabin R.T. owned for trout fishing," Harrell said. "Hugh had brought along a chain saw, one of the first made, and was going to clear out a few trees surrounding the cabin. R.T. loved nature and did not want any trees cut down. The reason the hospital is spread out is to allow for the landscaping to include natural areas. The only downside is cutting the trees to accommodate the helipad, but the surrounding area will be sown with grass and vegetation."

Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital was started in 1928 by the Methodist church to provide health services to its congregation and ministers. Hugh Chatham donated 16 acres of land and in 1963, the church and all the surrounding area was given to the Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital Board. In 1973, a 100 private bed facility was built to replace the original which was ready to be condemned. In 2006, Stuart Poston, CEO of the hospital at the time proposed a new facility to replace the antiquated rooms and facilities.

"We had an architectural firm draw the plans for this facility and took it to the Hugh Chatham Board," Poston said. "The board never hesitated. They immediately unanimously approved the project, even though the projected cost was 50 million dollars. This is the kind of board we have, experienced business men and community leaders. We anticipate opening the new facility in mid November. The facility will have 61 private rooms, we have no semi-private, all with windows. There is also the new 27 patient room emergency room, a new cardio/pulmonary suite complete with a new lab. Other departments have also been added over the last five years."

Hugh Chatham has hired 21 employees over the past few weeks and anticipates hiring individuals for positions throughout the hospital after opening the new facility. The hospital has oriented 12 new doctors over the past two weeks. There are seven hospitalist on staff now, with the addition of the two new ones. A hospitalist is a physician who works for the hospital in the hospital and takes care of patients during their stay. Hugh Chatham now has a roster of 71 physicians.

"We're very proud of our design for the new facility," Poston said. "The facility boasts a pneumatic communications system that allows medications and paperwork to travel through the hospital within the tubes. This will allow for medications to be shipped from the pharmacy to the appropriate nursing station for faster delivery to the patient. Linen cabinets have been built into the walls outside each of the patient rooms, therefore eliminating the need for the old, heavy carts that had to be pushed around. Each patient room has its own bath, and a built-in daybed for the family of the patients needs.

The hospital has four large suites that have been spoken for by donations of $15,000 each. These rooms will be named after the sponsor's choice.

Four bariatric rooms are on each floor that will enable the nursing staff and doctors easier care of patients needing this sized room. Electric hoist are built into the ceilings of these rooms to provide safe transport and movement of the patient. Each floor also houses an isolation room, with a separate changing/clean room in order to prevent the transmission of an infectious disease.

The hospital has started its campaign "Sharing the Vision", and is asking that the public support the new facility by donating to the campaign.

"We sold 40 million bonds in the New York Stock Exchange, and were able to do this because the hospital is financially strong," Harrell said. "Another 10 million was raised through the foundation. We have tried to show the public what we could do financially before asking for their contributions. The 25 members of the foundation board, 16 members of the hospital board, 25 percent of the doctors so far, and 70 percent of the hospital employees have made donations already. The hospital auxiliary has pledged $500,000 over the next five years. We have 2.2 million committed and need an additional 2.8 million to complete the funding."

Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital is the largest employer in the immediate area and the fourth largest employer in Surry County. The new facility is an 80,000 square foot three story state of the art building. The hospital provides healthcare for everyone who comes into emergency and needs medical attention.

"We do not turn patients needing medical treatment away," Harrell said.

"There are more and more people coming in to the hospital that are self-pay with all the job losses and loss of healthcare in the area," Poston said. "It is our policy to provide the care they need and that is made possible by the Hugh Chatham Foundation."