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Generations Ribbon Cutting & Open House a Success
�We feel our Ribbon Cutting and Open House celebrating the Reopening of Generations was highly successful.� said Deanna Pittman, Wilson County Hospital Administrator. �We were pleased so many friends of WCH were able to attend� community members, governmental officials, medical and long-term care professionals.�
The brief ribbon cutting ceremony included a prayer by Rev. Dave Cheshier, Neodesha�s Ministerial Alliance Representative to the Chamber of Commerce. Deanna Pittman thanked employees whose efforts made the reopening possible. Attendees of the ribbon cutting included Medical Director Dr. V. J. Reddy, Senator Derek Schmidt, Representative Mary Compton, Mayor Casey Lair, Commissioner Jim Schuessler, City Administrator J.D. Cox, Representative�elect Forrest Knox, and Commissioner-elect Garry Lambert. Executive Director Chris Bauman represented the Chamber of Commerce.
About 160 people toured the newly decorated 10-bed unit. Tours were conducted by Program Director Connie Hudson, LSCSW; Nurse-Manager Kay Thummel, RN; Community Liaison Cari Scott, RN, BSN and WCH Director of Nursing Nancy Carpenter, RN. The festivities included finger foods and sweets buffet prepared by WCH Dietary and served by Susie Olson, HR Director and Billie Porter, Community Relations Director. Peggy Cheshier accompanied a group of community members singing Christmas carols.
Reopening the unit will add about 30 employees to the staff, mostly nurses. In her remarks, Deanna recalled how sad we were when nurses and staff members left three years ago; we�ve missed them and celebrate so many have chosen to return to our WCH family.
The unit closed three years ago and area physicians and long-term care facilities have continued to ask if Generations would ever reopen�they missed the program. Deanna�s response has always been that if regulations change which would allow Critical Access Hospitals to operate Geriatric Psych units, then we would consider it. Regulations have changed, feasibility studies were positive and our physicians were enthusiastic about reopening Generations. As always, Dr. Allen Moorhead, Dr. Bert Chronister and Dr. Bradley Barrett have given their full support to the program.
In addition to the ribbon cutting and reception on December 23, a �sneak preview� in the form of a Christmas Tea for employees and Christmas Tea honoring WCH Volunteers was held earlier in the month. All licensure and necessary inspections have been completed and patients will be admitted starting January 3, 2005.
For more information on the Generations Program or to schedule a speaker for a civic or church group, contact Connie Hudson or Cari Scott at 620-325-2807 or Billie Porter at 620-325-2611.
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