Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital held its grand opening of the new $50 million medical addition on Sunday afternoon. Hundreds turned out to tour the new facility and be a part of the excitement in innovative health care this will bring to Elkin and surrounding communities.

The new additions include a state-of-the-art patient tower, emergency department, rehabilitation department, cardiology department, oncology department and a new sheltered entrance with a parking deck.

Stuart Poston, Interim CEO, praised the Hugh Chatham Foundation for its hard work and determination to provide the residents of the area the very best in medical care.

"The new facility will allow for patients to receive the type of care they had previously gone to facilities miles away from here for," Poston said. "We are very proud of the new facility and the state-of-the-art equipment and services we will now be able to provide."

Mike Stanley, Chairman of the Board for Hugh Chatham, spoke of the work the trustees of the hospital had done in bringing the hospital to fruition. According to Stanley, the trustees’ desire for excellent healthcare for the residents of Elkin and the surrounding area, as well as the dedication of the nursing staff and input in designs that would best suit the needs of patients while in the hospital, the timeless effort of the administrative staff in dealing with changes during construction and the input of the doctors of Hugh Chatham, in a combined effort has brought to the area an outstanding medical facility.

"I also want to thank the volunteers of Hugh Chatham," Stanley said. "I can't imagine a day without our volunteers. We owe you a debt of gratitude. We also want to thank all of our visitors today. We are grateful for your presence. Without your support there would be no need for the hospital."

Dr. Steven Issacs, Chief of Medical Staff and ED Medical Director spoke along the same lines when it came to the support of the community.

"The turnout has a lot to do with why Hugh Chatham is what it is today," Issacs said. "Our new emergency department is incredible with state of the art equipment, with 24 patient rooms including four trauma rooms, and new technology. It is truly a showplace. Built to what it is now shows the trust of the community. We have expanded pulmonary services which will have a big effect on the community. We also have a new critical care specialist and a state of the art intensive care unit. There have been quantum leaps in hospital design and the immediate effect for the nurses and patients they care for is phenomenal."

As the speakers continued thanking the Hugh Chatham Foundation, the board of trustees, the medical staff and the community members who came out to support the new wing of the hospital other points were made concerning the effect the hospital would have on the area.

The hospital is expected to help draw more innovative business to the area by providing quality health care. Businesses often look at the healthcare facilities and options when choosing a location and with Hugh Chatham's new technology, Elkin becomes yet even a better place for entrepreneurs.

Susan Brisco, Chief Nursing Director told the audience that Hugh Chatham is a great place for its employees to work, as well as providing an environment conducive to family needs.

"The new facility will allow a family of critical patients a place to be near their family member," Brisco said. "Families can be taken care of without feeling we have such a sterile environment. I would also like to thank Stuart Poston, whom without his leadership we wouldn't have even been talking about this. He came back to us when the plans were being formed after his initial idea of a new facility, and with the vision of the board of trustees and the Hugh Chatham Foundation sharing the vision and funding part of the facility, we now have a wonderful new hospital."

Stuart Poston thanked the Chatham family for their continuous support of the community, the hospital and the residents of the area. He told of how the family had stepped up and even paid the payroll at times to continue the level of community and care that Elkin received.

Barbara Chatham, wife of Dick Chatham, son to Hugh Chatham, for which the hospital was named spoke of when she and Dick moved to Elkin in 1949 to find a small stone hospital facility with eight or nine doctors, one surgeon and the emergency room in the basement. She said that even then, the hospital did a terrific job taking care of the residents of the area.

"I had my five children there," she said. "The nurses back then wore starched uniforms with the white hats identifying which school of nursing they graduated from," Chatham said. "Dick's grandfather made the land available to build a new hospital when the former one was condemned. This hospital was built and now today, we have another wonderful facility. We're very proud to have a state of the art oncology department where patients can be treated close to home. There are a lot of footprints here, some of which belong to my family, and some of them yours."

Dr. James A. Harrell, Sr., Foundation Chairman spoke of the beautiful area that Elkin is and how it is only extended through the beautiful hospital and the many churches in the area.

"How many communities of 3,400 people get a hospital such as this," Harrell asked the crowd. Hugh Chatham started as a medical facility for Methodist ministers and their families to receive healthcare in 1928. It was built with an endowment from Duke of $35,000, a campaign similar to the one we've had for this addition that raised an additional $35,000. The hospital cost $85,000 and was deeded to the Hugh Chatham trustees in 1973 by the Methodist Association. Dick Chatham is remembered for his dedication to bringing quality healthcare to the area."

After a ribbon cutting by Stuart Poston with all the Hugh Chatham trustees, visitors were welcomed into the hospital for a tour of the facility. The hospital boasts a new emergency department with four trauma bays and four cardiac rooms, with a new ambulance bay, a walk-in entrance with a larger waiting area, children's nook, and a private Triage area. There's also a private passageway to the Radiology department, an eight bed Intensive Care Unit with specially trained personnel, and two isolation rooms. An pneumatic tube system allows patient medications to be sent from the hospital pharmacy in a faster, more efficient manner, as well as specimens to and from the laboratory. The patient tower will provide spacious private rooms with day beds for the patients family's comfort. The rooms also include wireless internet access. Each room provides ample storage for both the patient's and family members needs. Each room is equipped with a linen closet both inside and outside the patient rooms for quicker, more efficient use. A new rehabilitation room for occupational, physical and speech is located in the tower with a panoramic view of the outdoors. Conference rooms are also available in the tower for education and clinical conferences.

Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital welcomes the community to tour the new facility.

"Our hope is to provide the very best medical care in the area," Poston said. "With the addition of the new facility, we will be able to provide complete comprehensive health care for all the patients needs."

Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital is located at 180 Parkwood Drive. 336-527-7000, www.hughchatham.org.