Healthcare services continue to expand as St. Francis Medical Center is set to open a new patient tower in September.
The nine-story patient tower will house all private inpatient rooms as well as patient admissions, a cafeteria and conference center. The Family Birthing Center will feature large birthing suites and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will have all private rooms.
The tower offers more space to accommodate current and future medical technology and patients will have access to amenities such as room service, wireless Internet and comfortable spaces for families.
Six of the floors will be finished, increasing the number of inpatient beds to 163. The facility will have two floors available for future growth.
St. Francis Medical Center
With the opening of the tower, St. Francis will have 222 licensed beds, including 163 acute-care beds, a 32-bed skilled nursing unit and a 23-bed chemical dependency unit. It employs about 1,300 people in full- and part-time positions, with a medical staff of some 80 physicians.
The medical center offers services at two facilities a short distance apart.
The hospital at 2620 W. Faidley Ave. houses the acute care beds, the Family Birthing Center, Intensive Care Unit, Cardiology, Surgery, Outpatient Diagnostics and Emergency Services. St. Francis Memorial Health Center at 2116 W. Faidley houses the Cancer Treatment Center, Skilled Nursing Unit, the Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center, the St. Francis Foundation and several administrative offices.
* Wellness Works/Por Su Salud, a health information center at Conestoga Mall through St. Francis Medical Center, opened in December 2001. The site has already expanded on the ways it offers medical information. Wellness Works has established a number of weekly events, including heart-healthy cooking classes, low-impact exercise sessions and other informational opportunities. Monthly educational sessions are also provided for women of menopausal age.
In addition, there are support groups on diabetes, heart disease, knee, hip and joint pain, children's issues and other topics. Doreen Foland, the director of the center, said they respond to the questions they hear from the public.
The hospital's Wellness Works looks like a storefront at the mall, but doesn't sell anything except health-care ideas. It provides access to health-care publications and advice as well as Internet access to various health-care sites.
* The Crane River Clinic, 3280 Woodridge Blvd., houses the two psychiatrists on St. Francis' medical staff. St. Francis also runs the Student Wellness Center at Grand Island Senior High School. St. Francis also has primary care clinics in Doniphan, Wood River and Cairo, staffed by doctors, a nurse practitioner and other professional staff.
Grand Island VA
The three Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) facilities in Nebraska (Omaha, Lincoln and Grand Island) integrated in November 1999, to become the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System. Each of these sites provides a unique array of health care services.
The VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System at Grand Island (also known as the Grand Island VA) focuses on ambulatory and extended care including geriatric and rehabilitation services. The facility has a 76-bed geriatric and extended care unit, residential substance abuse treatment, outpatient primary and mental health care and outpatient diagnostic testing.
Acute medical and intensive care inpatient services are provided through a contractual arrangement with St. Francis Medical Center. Some specialty care is provided at the Omaha facility. The Grand Island VA Transportation Network provides assistance with transportation to medical care both in town and with vans between North Platte, O'Neill, Lincoln and Omaha.
After hours, weekends and holidays, patients may access nursing advice by calling the Nurse VA toll free line at 1-866-NURSE VA (1-866-687-7382). The VA also has one of the largest Voluntary Service programs in the country.
PromptCare
PromptCare, located at 1300 S. Locust, is a walk-in medical clinic designed to treat minor illnesses and injuries of children and adults. It is staffed by providers who are accessible after hours and on weekends, when most other doctors are unavailable.
Office hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and from noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. All services must be paid with cash, check or credit card. Insurance is accepted.
Central District Health Dept.
The Health Department offers four categories of service: environmental, personal and community health, health education and laboratory. Personal and community health services include reduced-cost immunization clinics, blood pressure and cholesterol screenings and school nursing. Clinics are offered at the department's office, 1137 S. Locust.
Environmental services include restaurant inspections and licensing, investigation of private sewage treatment problems, regulation of garbage handlers and insect control. Health education services include information on local outbreaks of disease and explanations of health issues as well as material on general health issues.
The department's laboratory tests water supplies for fluoride levels and chemical and bacterial contamination. For more information, call 385-5175.
Third City Community Clinic
The Third City Community Clinic is a totally donation-funded free clinic. Its office is open daily and the clinic is open by appointment during the week. The clinic is staffed voluntarily by medical and nursing personnel from the community.
The Third City Community Clinic is located at 1107 N. Broadwell Ave. For more information or to make an appointment, call 398-5312.
Counseling services
Mid-Plains Center for Behavioral Healthcare (385-5250) offers extensive services in psychiatric health, children's treatment, foster children care, family crisis intervention, family preservation and support services.
Mid-Plains' mission is to support individuals and families in achieving their full potential in the community.
The main office building of Mid-Plains Center is located at 914 Baumann Dr. and for additional information, call 385-5250.