Whitfield Regional Hospital
Whitfield Regional Hospital in Demopolis, with 99 beds, has more than 350 full-time, part-time and PRN staff. It is one of the largest employers in Marengo County and has an operating agreement with UAB Health System.
The hospital’s Whit Specialty Clinic, which opened in 2020, offers a multi-discipline practice providing breast health, cardiology, gastroenterology, anesthesiology and pain management, general surgery and orthopedics. The clinic also provides telehealth visits with UAB specialists in rheumatology, pulmonology and infectious disease.
The hospital is renovating its facilities. In 2021, it unveiled a renovated intensive care unit that has been expanded to eight beds, each in a negative pressure room to help isolate patients with contagious illnesses like COVID-19. There are new monitor systems, new beds, new ventilator and IV pumps, and each room has cameras set up to allow doctors at UAB to consult patients and Whitfield staff remotely. The hospital also conducted a $2.4 million power plant improvement. Renovations and added equipment were made possible through a 4-mill property tax increase approved by voters in 2019.
As of April, the hospital once again offers labor and delivery services. Those services ceased more than five years ago, forcing Marengo County moms to travel more than an hour to deliver their babies.
And the hospital purchased its first ever robotic surgical system, the da Vinci Xi by Intuitive. This system is designed to give physicians 3D high definition at the surgical site, greater dexterity and precision for the surgery, leading to a shorter recovery time for the patient. This system is designed for chest and abdominal surgeries.
Whitfield Regional has been a critical resource during the COVID-19 pandemic, caring for more than 800 inpatients and 350-vent-dependent patients.
Hill Hospital of Sumter County
Hill Hospital in York provides general medical and surgical care for inpatient, outpatient and emergency room patients. Services also include ambulance, anesthesia, assisted living, cardiopulmonary, gynecology, intensive care, lab, orthopedics, pharmacy, psychiatry, radiology, surgery and urology. It is operated by the York Healthcare Authority.
Hill Hospital also has a Rural Health Physician Clinic to provide health care at a reduced cost.
Hale County Hospital
Hale County Hospital is one of the largest employers in the county, with 146 employees and 25 patient beds, as well as two certified rural health clinics. The hospital offers home health, physical therapy, inpatient and outpatient care, swing bed, emergency room services, outpatient services, lab and radiology imaging.
In the past two years, the hospital has worked to strengthen and grow its team. In the fall of 2020, the hospital hired two new board-certified family medicine physicians. The physician team also includes four certified nurse practitioners and a physician’s assistant. The hospital has partnered with a board-certified Birmingham cardiologist to consult about patients’ cardiovascular needs.
Simultaneously, Hale County Hospital is launching a multi-level campaign to raise awareness in the community about the services the hospital provides. Through partnership with Auburn Rural Studio, the hospital has designed a billboard, which will be posted outside of Greensboro on State Route 69 towards Tuscaloosa this summer. The hospital also has established a presence in the local Greensboro grocery store, handing out free at-home COVID-19 tests, pill planners and more, along with information about the hospital. In addition, the hospital has begun hosting community events to increase engagement including a health fair in partnership with the Newbern Library and a gathering for Alzheimer’s awareness.
Greene County Hospital
In November 2020, Greene County voters overwhelmingly approved a 4 mill increase in property taxes to support the Greene County Hospital and Health System. The tax is expected to generate more than $600,000 per year for the system. The health system includes the 20-bed hospital, a 72-bed residential care center and a clinic.
As a result, the hospital in Eutaw, the largest overall employer in the county, has a newly remodeled emergency department with larger rooms, new equipment and lighting. Additional renovations are ongoing. The hospital also has added a wellness program. Other services include inpatient care, pain management, radiology, echo, lab, rehab services, wound care, social services, dietary management, hospice and psychiatric services.
The hospital recently acquired a 16-slice CT scanner, housed in a new radiology imaging suite, and upgraded laboratory equipment. The hospital and nursing home both received new HVAC and other enhancements.
This article appeared in the June 2022 issue of Business Alabama.
