By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com
WABASH, Ind. – On June 27, the old Parkview Wabash Hospital facility on East Street closed and the new one, on John Kissinger Drive, officially opened.
The move was years in the making. Ground was broken for the new facility on June 30, 2016, and from that time on, a countless number of meetings took place to make sure the move – though two years away – would come off without a hitch.
Those meetings – including one at 5 a.m. the day of the move – worked.
At 6 a.m. June 27 the first of 10 patients was moved from the old facility to the new. By 8:30 a.m., the last patient to be moved was having breakfast at the new site.
Because of their efforts, the entire Parkview Wabash Hospital staff was named Healthcare Heroes during the 2018 Parkview Wabash Foundation Gala on Saturday, Nov. 10.
“In a matter of less than three hours, the doors of one hospital closed and the other was running full speed ahead,” emcee Eric Seaman told those gathered in the Honeywell Center’s Legacy Hall. “Doesn’t is all sound so easy? Well, it wasn’t. The effort and talents of the co-workers made it look that way.”
Wabash Parkview President Marilyn Custer-Mitchell, who was in the thick of the planning throughout, praised the staff for its efforts throughout the last several years.
“The Parkview Wabash co-workers did a phenomenal job in planning and executing the move to the new facility. It went as smoothly as possible for our inpatients,” she told The Paper of Wabash County. “We had 10 inpatients on June 27. Partnering with Parkview EMS and Wabash City Fire EMS, we started the move at 6 a.m. and by 8:30 a.m. all patients were settled in their new rooms. It’s such a great honor for all our co-workers to be recognized for their hard work.”
Seaman reminded the audience that the effort is far from done.
“Since opening its doors, the hospital has seen a record number of patients. Increased volumes in the emergency room, lab and imaging,” he said. “All beds filled on the inpatient unit on multiple occasions. Cafeteria visits that have far exceeded expectations.
“And babies being born in Wabash County once again – 15 and counting so far,” he continued, receiving a round of applause for that news. “Through it all, the co-workers continue to shine. They are the backbone of the hospital. They are the familiar faces, the sympathetic ears and the skilled hands that care for the patients, families, visitors, and even one another.”
Proceeds from the Gala will help fund the Parkview Wabash Hospital Education Fund.
The fund is used to assist staff who choose to go above and beyond to provide better care for patients. It also helps to ensure the community is treated by healthcare professionals who have the most knowledge and the greatest expertise.
Custer-Mitchell was pleased with the event.
“The Parkview Wabash Foundation Gala was a huge success,” she said. “With volunteers working behind the scenes, we had over 350 people in attendance. We are excited to be able to provide educational assistance to all the Parkview Wabash co-workers in the coming years through the generosity of our wonderful donors.”
In addition to the dinner and the presentation of the Healthcare Hero Award, the event featured silent and live auctions. This year, the bidding was done via an electronic bidding system.
“We used an electronic bidding system this year – ClickBid, that went well and encouraged people to bid right from their seats,” Custer-Mitchell noted.
In addition, the ClickBid system helped the audience vote for their favorite performer during The Voice of Wabash contest that night.
Four local performers – Jessica Hannah, Dr. Eric Reichenbach, Kimberly Rutledge and Dakota Parker – performed for the title. In the end, Parker was named the first Voice of Wabash winner.
