— Maria Parham Franklin Press Release
Hospital and community leaders gather for ribbon-cutting ceremony for Franklin facility, which is set to open this month and will restore essential health care services for the region
Louisburg, N.C. – Maria Parham Health, part of Duke LifePoint Healthcare, hosted a ribbon-cutting celebration and open house today (Wednesday) in advance of the grand opening of its new emergency room and geriatric behavioral health facility, called Maria Parham Franklin. Representatives from the hospital and Duke LifePoint joined community leaders, elected officials, health care providers and other supporters to ceremoniously cut the ribbon on the new facility. Construction is in its final phases, and Maria Parham Franklin is set to open its doors to the public this month.
“Today marks an important milestone in our efforts to restore vital health care services in Franklin County and surrounding areas,” said Bert Beard, chief executive officer (CEO) of Maria Parham Health. “This facility represents our commitment to ensuring that high quality health care is readily available close to home when our patients need it most. We are eager to open our doors and begin serving the community this month.”
Housed in the former Franklin Medical Center building in Louisburg, Maria Parham Franklin is an emergency department offering 24/7 emergency care, diagnostic services and behavioral health services. Outpatient imaging services include computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray, ultrasound, mammography and bone density testing. The facility also will feature a 13-bed inpatient geriatric behavioral health unit and an outpatient laboratory.
“Having access to emergency care and behavioral health services has been a growing need for this region for quite some time,” said C. Boyd Sturges, III, Franklin County’s legal counsel for this project and member of the Louisburg Town Council. “We are so pleased that this exciting project will ensure that members of our community will have access to first-rate emergency care. We hope this initiative will also serve as a model for other rural communities seeking ways to keep healthcare local.”
“In addition to bringing much needed health care services back to the community, this initiative has also spurred new job growth and economic development for this region,” said Sidney E. Dunston, Franklin County commissioner and chairman of the Commissioner’s Hospital Committee. “It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved, and we look forward to a brighter and healthier future now that Maria Parham Franklin has filled such a critical need.”
The next phase of the project will involve further expanding behavioral health services by increasing the number of available beds and offering inpatient adult behavioral health. This is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2019.
“Projects like this are especially meaningful because they directly impact the health and wellness of the communities we serve and advance our mission of Making Communities Healthier,” said David Dill, president and chief operating officer of LifePoint Health. “Together with our partners at Duke, we couldn’t be more proud to help strengthen the health care services available in this region.”
The capital investment will total more than $16 million upon the completion of both phases, all of which has been made possible by Duke LifePoint Healthcare, The Dorothea Dix Hospital Property Fund, The Golden Leaf Foundation and the North Carolina Department of Commerce through the North Carolina Community Development Block Grant.
“Duke LifePoint is proud to invest in the health of this community and bring high quality health care back to Franklin County,” said William J. Fulkerson, Jr., M.D., executive vice president for Duke University Health System. “We are excited about the tremendous impact Maria Parham Franklin will have on countless lives right here in Franklin County for generations to come.”
About Maria Parham Health
Maria Parham Health, a Duke LifePoint hospital, is a regional hospital in Henderson, N.C., serving the people of north central North Carolina and southside Virginia. As a part of Duke LifePoint Healthcare, Maria Parham offers a combination of Duke University Health System’s world-renowned leadership in clinical excellence and quality care, and LifePoint Health’s extensive resources, knowledge and experience in operating community hospitals. Maria Parham offers a wide range of services and the latest technology to meet the health care needs of the community. It is fully accredited by The Joint Commission and CMS. For more information about Maria Parham Health, please call (252) 438-4143 or visit mariaparham.com.
About Duke LifePoint Healthcare
Duke LifePoint Healthcare, a joint venture of Duke University Health System, Inc. and LifePoint Health (NASDAQ: LPNT), was established to build a dynamic network of hospitals and health care providers. The joint venture, which brings together LifePoint’s experience in community-based hospital management and Duke’s world-renowned leadership in patient safety and clinical quality systems, is strengthening and improving health care delivery by providing community hospitals the clinical, quality and operational resources they need to grow and prosper. For more information, visit www.dukelifepointhealthcare.com.
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