Convenient Care Close to Home

Expanding access to quality care for the people of Sussex County

BY DAVID A. TAM, MD, MBA, CPHE, FACHE

STOP AND TAKE A GOOD LOOK AROUND. Beebe Healthcare is right here or around the corner from just about anywhere in Sussex County.

The health care system is rapidly expanding its presence across the county to meet the needs of the people we serve—families, friends, neighbors, and visitors. Our facility improvement project at the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus is ongoing with updated cardiovascular labs and a redesigned main entrance being the first phase to reach completion, along with continued upgrading of patient rooms and our dining areas.

In summer 2020, we unveiled Beebe’s South Coastal Health Campus near Millville. It houses a freestanding emergency department and serves as a second location for Beebe’s comprehensive oncology program, where compassionate and convenient care is delivered close to home. That Health Campus complements outpatient services, including primary and specialty care, lab, imaging, physical rehabilitation, and walk-in care already located on Route 26 in Millville.

In late spring 2022, Beebe will open the doors to a new Specialty Surgical Hospital on its Rehoboth Health Campus, packed with the latest innovations and technologies to streamline operative care for patients with a wide range of medical needs. The new hospital will offer orthopedic, bariatric, breast, and spine surgical services. It will feature four operating rooms, 20 bays for pre- and post-operative care, and 24 private, short-stay inpatient rooms. Additionally, the Rehoboth Walk-In Care Center will be relocating to this building.

We are taking the necessary steps now to assure we can continue making quality health care conveniently accessible for all.

Timing couldn’t be better. Research shows that population growth in Sussex County will more than double national averages over the next five years. Surgical volumes are also expected to increase by a whopping 62 percent by 2025. When a patient learns they need to have surgery, in most cases, they want that procedure scheduled as quickly as possible. Additional space—dedicated exclusively to surgical care—is the key to making that possible, especially as the population grows and more people rely on Beebe for care. We are taking the necessary steps now to assure we can continue making quality health care conveniently accessible for all.

Construction of Beebe’s new Specialty Surgical Hospital required a significant investment—over $100 million. And the other new construction projects have all been important financial commitments. Beebe Medical Foundation has played a critical role in our ability to bring our vision to fruition. We are incredibly grateful to our donors, sponsors, and other supporters, whose generous gifts allow Beebe to continue putting stakes in the ground across Sussex County.

At the heart of it all, Beebe is committed to providing quality and safe care and to create positive and impactful patient and family experiences. It’s one reason why we engaged our Patient Family Advisory Council in making design decisions for the new surgical hospital. Former patients, donors, and other community members with a vested interest in our future helped us choose warm and welcoming colors, artwork, and amenities to make patients and visitors feel welcome and comfortable. We want the people in our community to have an experience you remember, and the excellence you expect, so we can earn your loyalty, and make Beebe your health care provider of choice for a lifetime—because Sussex County is our specialty.

David A. Tam, MD, MBA, CPHE, FACHE is president and CEO of Beebe Healthcare.