June 4, 2007
GRHS Employees Kicked Off the One Million Dollar Fundraising Campaign
Fundraising efforts for the hospital s building project has begun! Investment in Community Healthcare describes the intent of the fundraising campaign and building project precisely.
Employees from the Fundraising Committee and those from the Employee Advisory Committee set a fundraising goal for the employees at $100,000. The employees have responded favorably and have already committed $67,479 towards their goal. As with the general fundraising campaign that was launched to various organizations and members of the community this month, the pledges may be divided as requested over a five year span.
It is obvious by their committed responses that they are encouraged by the facility s growth and appreciate being a part of it, Kirk Stensrud, CEO, said of the initial response. Peggy Metz and Lynn Flesner, members of the Fundraising Committee, agree that pledging is seen as an opportunity, not an obligation.
With increased growth of any organization, there is an increase of opportunity and overall benefitsboth personal and tangible. It only makes sense then that the employees support the building project by making pledges. The physicians and outreach physicians have a separate goal of $100,000.
To achieve the fundraising goal of one million dollars, many citizens in the community have come together to act as one. The General Co-Chairs of the building project fundraising campaign, Investment in Community Healthcare, are Dennis Martinson and Erick Gandrud.
The Lead and Major Gifts Committee members have begun contacting businesses and individuals that paved the way during the fundraising for the past building project. Members of the Lead and Major Gifts Committee are Ron Erno, Erick Gandrud, Brian Borgerding, Dennis Martinson, Chuck Thompson, Al Lalim, Peter Nelson, and Dave Bohmer with Bob Gandrud as the Chairperson.
In June, members of the Pacesetters Committee will begin contacting other businesses and individuals that generously donated during the past building project. Pacesetters for the fundraising efforts are Ralph Gaffaney, Jim Nelson, Gordy Stock, Jack and Dori Morris, Dewey Essig, Kaye Nelson, Wally Riedel, Harry Blok, and Marvin Andreasen.
Additional Fundraising Committee members include Peggy Metz, Ivan Fossen, Dr. Jeffrey Schlueter, Dennis Martinson, Kirk Stensrud, Lynn Flesner, David Sibell, and John Gandrud.
All pledges will be recognized. Pledges that total $1000 or more will be memorialized in the main entrance. However, all pledges are important and will be written in a book of honor. Pledges may also be made in memory of or in honor of someone which can be indicated on the pledge card. The hospital district is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, therefore all pledges are tax-deductible. They plan to have the fund drive completed by ground breaking in August 2007.
Members of the Fundraising Committee and the Lead and Major Gift Committee have pledge cards for those philanthropists who want to make a pledge at this time. To make a pledge, contact anyone on these two committees. The Business Office at Glacial Ridge Health System also has pledge cards available.
Due to the significant increase in patient utilization at the hospital and medical centers over the past three years, the Emergency Department (ED) and Operating Room (OR) are the most significant areas needing expansion. These areas were virtually untouched during the building project less than ten years ago.
Over the past several years, the hospital has been impacted by an increase in the volume of ambulance calls and emergency room visits. From FYE 2004 to FYE 2006, the total percentage of ED utilization has increased 47.26%.
The physicians and nurses have expressed frustration with the tight quarters and limited equipment available in the current ED as it relates to the increased volume. It is simply too small to effectively meet the growing needs of the communities served. Having additional equipment readily available in the ED will assist the medical staff with providing top-notch care to patients needing immediate medical assistance.
After the significant expansion combined with new construction of the OR and new construction on the ED, they will both be fitted with the most modern equipment. Having the necessary space and additional equipment in the OR will better position the hospital to attract other specialists to the community. Plans for the overall project include not only building expansion and remodeling, but equipment upgrades and purchase of additional equipment to keep pace with the growing utilization of services.
Members of the Fundraising Committee are keenly aware that due to the increase in growth in a short amount of time, the hospital is not financially able to fully fund all necessary portions of the building project without financing. All funds generated from this campaign will ensure the timely completion of the building project while sustaining financial viability of the organization.
Original Release Date: March 19, 2007
Hospital has Outgrown Its Space!
One of the 2007 strategic planning goals for Glacial Ridge Health System is well underway -- a ten million dollar construction and expansion project. In developing a strategic plan for Glacial Ridge Hospital, the specific needs of the patients and facility were assessed. Due to increased utilization, the Emergency Department and Operating Room are not able to sustain continued growth without additional space.
The two primary space needs identified by the physicians, staff, and administration are within the Emergency Department (ED) and Operating Room (OR). Therefore, the Glacial Ridge Hospital Board of Directors has responded to these concerns by approving the building project. The research and planning phases of the building project began last summer 2006, but it gained momentum in September 2006 when it became a Strategic Planning Goal.
The Operating Room was untouched in the previous building project and the Emergency Department received only minor, aesthetic improvements. Hence, it is imperative at this time that Glacial Ridge Hospital improves the space needs and equipment of the Emergency Department and Operating Room to meet the growing demand.
The outcome of the master plan will be a project that consists of 19,156 square feet of new construction and 10,920 square feet of remodeled construction. Of the total project square footage, approximately 14% consists of remodeled spaces that were affected during the previous project.
The Emergency Department has seen a significant increase in utilization. Over the last three years, visits to the emergency room have increased 47%! In FYE 2006, there were 2,997 ER visits. Patients within and bordering the service area of the hospital have increased their utilization over alternate emergency hospitals.
Of primary concern, the Emergency Department has limited space for multiple victim occurrences and tight space for cardiac trauma cases. Secondly, there is limited opportunity to separate patients, which is especially needed if an emergency patient is disruptive or uncooperative.
At present, the 800 square foot Emergency Department is simply too small to effectively meet the growing needs of our community. This project proposes to construct a new 1,932 square foot Emergency Department and provide the necessary equipment for the expanded department. At this time, the six local physicians staff the hospital and emergency department.
Furthermore, patient demand for general surgeries performed by, Dr. Roderick B. Brown, physician and surgeon at Glacial Ridge Health System, have increased in number. Patients are even driving from distant locales to have their surgery, both inpatient and outpatient, at Glacial Ridge Health System. Outpatient services such as cataract surgeries have increased. Also, surgeries such as knee surgery performed by Orthopedic Surgeons began in December 2006.
In order to attract additional surgical specialists to Glacial Ridge Health System, the small operating room must be expanded and updated. The new Operating Room Suite will consist of two operating rooms both equipped for orthopedic surgeries, six admit and recovery rooms, a family consult room, and the necessary support services.
The entire building project is a combination of new construction and reworking parts of the existing structure. The redesign portion of the project affects the layout of the medical center, patient waiting room, and outreach services for improved patient flow. Additionally, better patient movement and separation within the hospital, emergency room, and medical center will increase patient privacy. Furthermore, this change will improve patient access to internal departments such as X-ray, Lab, Outreach Services, and the Operating Room.
Most Outreach Services will be moved to the main level and will have a dedicated space. The existing Emergency Room area will be remodeled to include four exam rooms, one procedure room, and physician outreach offices. By remodeling the space currently occupied by the Business Office, the Outreach Services area will gain up to seven more exam rooms and support spaces.
In the last building project that began in 2000, significant improvements to the hospital including the construction of 11 private patient rooms were completed. Additional exam and procedure rooms were added to the medical center at the same time. These changes have been very important to the overall operation of the hospital and medical center. Unpredictably, they have been so well utilized in such a short time period that the medical center has also outgrown the space!
After relocation of the clinic patient waiting area and remodeling, the Glenwood Medical Center will gain five additional exam rooms, two procedure rooms, an additional nursing station, two more provider offices, an administrative office, and support spaces.
The lower level below the new hospital and clinic entry will include space for the potential completion of additional therapy or rehabilitation services.
As with any building project, GRHS faced several structural and landlocked obstacles. Given the circumstances, the building project team was able to meet the needs of the facility whereby working within these limitations. Careful consideration was taken so what is built now will dovetail future projects. A few significant changes directly affecting the public include where to enter the hospital and medical center and how to access the Emergency Department.
To provide convenient parking for patients and to improve the internal patient flow, the new main entrance for the hospital and medical center will be the current back entrance off of First Street SE. The vehicle access to the main entrance will still be from Franklin Street. The new hospital and clinic entry consists of a new clinic waiting and reception area with exterior windows for natural light, a new, larger hospital waiting and reception area and a private oncology treatment room.
The Emergency Department (ED), a walk-in entrance and enclosed ambulance bay will be built to the north (towards the Ridgewood Villa). The new, enclosed, drive-in ambulance bay will have room for two arriving ambulances. The ambulance EMTs will be able to transfer patients from the ambulance to the hospital without encountering adverse weather conditions.
Glacial Ridge Hospital has submitted several grant applications for specified equipment and/or projects to offset the financial impact of the necessary building project. Moreover, the Foundation receives donations from generous community members each year. In 2006, the Foundation received two large additional gifts. To finance the project, Glacial Ridge Hospital will attain approximately eight million in Revenue Notes and the remaining two million in project costs will come from funds set aside by the hospital for building projects. Local property taxes will not increase due to the hospital project.
Glacial Ridge Hospital will be able to support the project through income from operations to offset the costs associated with operating and maintaining the newly constructed Emergency Department and expanded Operating Room.
The completed construction project will enable Glacial Ridge Hospital to meet the needs of our patients, physicians, and staff. It will also provide a desirable atmosphere in which our physicians and nurses can provide the best quality of care. The construction project is slated to begin by the end of August 2007 and the overall construction timeline is 16 months.
The Glenwood City Commissioners are supportive of the building project. Two Planned Unit Development (PUD) hearings were held on January 9, 2007 and February 13, 2007 with no public opposition. After the two PUD hearings, the city re-zoned the GRHS campus from residential to commercial property.
The GRHS project team has been meeting with personnel from the contracted agencies as the project has developed. The PaeperGroup from the Twin Cities was hired for the master planning. The two other organizations hired at this point are Parsons from the Twin Cities for project management and Ringdahl Architects & Associates from Alexandria.
The project team members from GRHS include CEO Kirk Stensrud, Clinic Manager Rachel Wagner, Director of Nursing Lynn Flesner, Dr. Thomas J. Haus, and Dr. Mark O. Johnson. Additional managers will be added to the project team as their involvement becomes necessary due to direct departmental involvement. Other GHRS employees will continue to be invited to review plans and discuss the project at each pivotal point in the process. In a recent employee newsletter, Kirk Stensrud wrote, we want the input of as many staff members as possible who use the facility on a daily basis. This will result in a well thought out project that meets the needs of our patients, our physicians, and our staff.
Competitive bidding has not been completed for the proposed project, but will be conducted through the Uniform Municipal Contracting Law, M.S. The bid period will begin near the middle of June 2007 and contracts will be awarded in mid August 2007. |
