KDH ready for move to new hilltop hospital

Sunday brought a day of celebration for King’s Daughters’ Health in Madison, Ind., as officials welcomed thousands for open house tours and dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremonies at the new $100 million hospital.

Jeff Moore/The News-Democrat

King’s Daughters’ Health celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony Sunday. From left: KDH CEO Roger Allman, hospital board chairwoman Reenie Getz, medical staff president Dr. Kelli Hertz, Madison Mayor Damon Welch, architectural firm representative Greg Lewis, Wehr Constructors senior vice president Scott Smith, and KDH plant operations director Mike Hanover.

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Jeff Moore/The News-Democrat

The new King’s Daughters’ Health hospital and medical building is on Madison’s hilltop at One Bethany Drive, 1373 East state Route 62.

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Jeff Moore/The News-Democrat

KDH employee Mike Bradley shows visitors the new digital X-ray equipment that eliminates the need for film and has the image ready for viewing in just seconds.

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Jeff Moore/The News-Democrat

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Located on State Route 62 on Madison’s hilltop, the new facility features 86 private rooms and offices for many of KDH’s doctors, an expanded emergency department and loads of new technology throughout the various departments at the medical facility.

The hospital will open Saturday, Feb. 23, as KDH begins the process of moving patients from downtown into the new facility.

KDH Chief Executive Officer Roger Allman told a crowd gathered in a tent behind the hospital Sunday that it was a long road to get to the much-anticipated opening. Construction of the facility took 25 months and stayed ahead of schedule and below budget.

Allman took a moment to look out at the crowd. “It’s nice to stand here and enjoy this,” he said. “I’m very pleased to see all of you at this dedication ceremony.”

KDH is committed to the health of residents of the two state-region it serves, he said.

The hospital originally opened its doors Aug. 25, 1899, through the efforts of 12 Presbyterian women who recognized the need for a hospital, forming the Bethany Circle of Kings’ Daughters and Sons in 1896, Allman said.

KDH remains locally owned and operated by the Bethany Circle today, he said, citing this as one of the “major strengths of the organization.”

Board chairwoman and Bethany Circle member Reenie Getz said these are exciting times for the hospital. “We understand the work we do is sacred because lives are sacred,” she said.

With the dedication of the new hospital Sunday, Getz said KDH will help to continue the mission the ladies of the Bethany Circle started 113 years ago.

“This is your hospital,” she said. “We’re excited about our future and being able to serve you better.”

Dr. Kelli Hertz, president of the medical staff at KDH, said the new facility brings them “firmly into the 21st century.” The new facility will provide the medical staff with better facilities and new technology that makes KDH “a true place for healing.”

With all private rooms, Hertz said this would provide patients help with their healing and their privacy.

“We look forward to contributing and continuing to offer the highest quality of care to all of our patients,” she said.

Scott Smith of Wehr Constructors, the firm that built the new facility, said they have had a long, solid relationship of working with KDH since 1964. He praised the leadership of the hospital for its commitment to the community.

Smith said 85 percent of contractors who worked on the new building came within a 40-mile radius of Madison, demonstrating their commitment to keep the project local.

Madison Mayor Damon Welch said his family has had a long relationship with KDH. He was born at the hospital, along with his children and a couple of his grandchildren. Welch said his father-in-law had just been admitted there that morning and added that his mother recently had hip surgery there.

“I’m sure many of you can tell a similar story,” he said.

Welch also praised KDH for keeping its commitment to finding a use for the downtown buildings they would be moving out of in the next month. Trilogy Health Services LLC has agreed to purchase the downtown hospital from KDH to convert it into a senior living facility.

Trilogy has committed to spending about $3 million on the facility and expects to create 120-125 new jobs. The new senior living center is expected to open in 2014.

“All I can say is wow,” Welch said.

All of the individuals who spoke joined Allman for the official ribbon cutting at the end of the ceremony.

With the hospital opening Saturday, KDH public information specialist Dave Ommen said it would take about a month for all operations to relocate to the new campus.

The new hospital officially opens Saturday at 7 a.m. At that time, any medical emergencies arriving by ambulance or other vehicle will be directed to the new facility.

All patients are expected to be moved from the old hospital to the new facility by noon on Saturday. Once all patients have been relocated, the downtown facility will close for patient care.

Physicians and providers will move into the main campus medical building Saturday, March 2. Their offices will be open to patients on Monday, March 4.

Maps of the new campus, physician information, new telephone numbers and more information can be found on the KDH website at www.kdhmadison.org.

Once the new hospital opens, about 150 employees will remain in downtown Madison. This includes seven physician practices at the Downtown Medical Building, medical imaging, laboratory services, business operations center, marketing/community relations, EMS services, sleep lab and the KDH Foundation. The Cancer Treatment Center also will remain open downtown until the new cancer center opens at the hilltop campus in late 2014.