Johnston Memorial Hospital Adding Cancer Center, More Programs
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Johnston Memorial Hospital is creating plenty of news these days as it begins its second century of service.
The community hospital that began with 12 beds in 1905 has started construction on the $22 million JMH Cancer Center‚ which will be located off Interstate 81 between exits 19 and 22. Part of the two-story building is scheduled to open in January 2007‚ while the remainder of the 60‚000-square-foot structure is expected to be completed by the end of that year.
“There is a very high cancer rate in southwest Virginia‚ so this center will provide patients with a world-class facility that is close to home‚” says Sean McMurray‚ chief executive officer at Johnston Memorial Hospital. “It will offer multiple cancer services all under one roof‚ which is something we have not been able to do before.”
McMurray says that prior to the April 2006 start of construction‚ JMH officials talked with many cancer patients and their families about their preferences for the facility. As a result‚ it will offer full services in radiation oncology‚ medical oncology and imaging/radiology‚ plus it will have a social worker‚ dietitian and chaplain on site.
“This will be an outpatient center‚ since almost all cancer treatment these days is done on an outpatient basis‚” McMurray says. “The really‚ really sick cancer sufferers will continue to receive in-patient care at our main JMH campus” one block from the Washington County Courthouse in central Abingdon.
In other developments‚ JMH in January 2006 began a program called Senior Life Solutions‚ which assists seniors suffering from depression‚ grief‚ anxiety‚ loneliness and other challenges. “This is a day-treatment program that we began in response to growing requests from the communities we serve‚” McMurray says. “We can even provide transportation to and from the hospital if a senior should need it.”
The hospital also has opened the JMH Diagnostic Center at The Campus‚ located on Porterfield Highway at Russell Road. It offers outpatient services such as X-rays‚ mammography‚ bone-density testing and other laboratory procedures.
In addition‚ the hospital has introduced what it calls the Abingdon Joint Trails program‚ whereby a team of orthopedic specialists helps to rehabilitate joint replacement patients so that they can go home within three days after surgery – and be on the trail to a rapid recovery.
“We are also in the midst of upgrading our computer system to electronic medical records throughout the entire hospital‚” McMurray says. “And we have recently renovated our outpatient waiting area in surgery‚ doubling the seating capacity and adding a number of amenities for our patients and their families.
“As we start our second century‚ there is certainly a lot going on here at Johnston Memorial Hospital.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Brian McCord
