Public Invited to Ribbon-Cutting, Guided Tours at New Hospital

Welcome to your New Hospital

GOLD BEACH, OR (March 29, 2017) - This Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. will be the final opportunity for community members to tour the new Curry General Hospital in Gold Beach. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at the main East entrance at 1 p.m., followed by guided tours throughout the 62,097 square foot, state-of-the-art facility until 4 p.m.

Once the new hospital opens, there will be many areas of the building that, because of privacy laws, the general public will be unable to visit unless they are a patient. Curry Health Network's Board of Directors, CEO Ginny Razo and Medical Staff President Dr. Reginald Williams will welcome the public, and staff will take visitors on tours, showing off the new facility and equipment and talking about services that will be available.

"It's truly an historic occasion," said Razo, "and we hope that everyone can attend - it's their hospital, and I think they'll be very, very pleased." Razo says several events were held during the week of March 20 where specific groups were invited for tours. That included Emergency Service providers, Rotarians, Soroptimists, Auxiliary members, Chamber of Commerce members, and staff with their families.

"We heard a lot of 'wows'", said Razo. "It was a pleasure to welcome these groups to the hospital, and we're all looking forward to Saturday's event."

If needed, overflow parking will be available during the hours of the April 1 event at both the Gold Beach High School and Port of Gold Beach. Shuttle buses will transport visitors from those parking areas to and from the hospital.

While the community has seen the multi-story structure being constructed over time, it's an entirely new experience seeing it from the spacious interior, seeing the new furniture, artwork and medical equipment. Razo used the CT scanner as an example. "The new scanner is the latest technology; 64-slice versus the 16-slice CT in the old hospital," said Razo. "A full body CT scan will now be done so quickly, and with the lowest dose of radiation possible."

The new Curry General was designed with quality care, patient satisfaction and patient privacy in mind. "The registration area offers increased privacy. So does the ER - whereas curtains separated patients in the old 400 square foot Emergency Room, the new ER is ten times larger and has four private exam rooms plus a two-bay trauma suite. There is privacy in the surgical services department, privacy in the blood draw area, privacy in the diagnostic imaging suite. We have private consultation rooms for physicians to speak with patients and their families. Everything was designed for patient privacy," she said.

The larger facility also allows space for increased services. A new Physical Therapy suite will accommodate a greater need for this service with the addition of Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr. Cornelius (Connie) Britt, and will be equipped with state-of-the-art equipment for use by both inpatients and outpatients. "Patient privacy was also a consideration in the design of the PT suite," said Razo. "There are three private treatment rooms."

"This is truly the community's hospital," she said, "and one that will meet their needs and last for decades to come." Construction to replace the 65 year-old hospital that no longer meets building code or patient needs was overwhelmingly supported by residents of the Health District in November 2013 when they voted to approve a $10 Million general obligation bond to partially fund the project.

"I could speak for hours about how this hospital was designed to meet the needs of our patients," said Razo, "but I think it is best communicated by inviting the public to see for themselves, and to let the new hospital speak for itself. You won't be able to walk out after the tour without knowing what this new facility will mean to the community, and to the improved and expanded delivery of quality care."