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'Divisive' no more: Hospital gets raves

Leaders praise the community for coming together as the new Brooksville Regional Hospital hosts an open house and prepares to accept patients starting Sunday.

By MARY SPICUZZA
Published September 27, 2005

BROOKSVILLE - It's not that Emily Bogard plans on having health problems. But if she does, she knows exactly what to do.

"If you had to be sick and come to a place, this would be perfect," Bogard said, sitting in the emergency waiting room of the new Brooksville Regional Hospital.

Bogard, 64, was one of hundreds of people who attended the $53-million hospital's open house Saturday. She and others toured the 183,000-square-foot facility, which is on Cortez Boulevard and Lykes Dublin Road.

"We're very impressed," she said. "We've been through a series of hospitals, and this is state of the art."

The facility is scheduled to start accepting patients Sunday.

In the meantime, Health Management Associates, which operates Brooksville and Spring Hill Regional hospitals, wanted to invite the community inside to learn more about the latest addition to Hernando County's medical care services.

"This location is central to where the county is growing," Spring Hill Regional Hospital administrator Jim Beatty said. "It's very accessible."

Local officials joined hospital administrators to greet visitors with speeches and a ribbon cutting before the open house.

"I'd like to say congratulations to HMA and Hernando County," County Commission Chairman Robert Schenck said.

After the ceremony, other local leaders said they were happy to see the crowd so unified.

Originally, some members of the community and leaders of competitor Oak Hill Hospital in Spring Hill fought the plan.

State regulators tentatively approved the move later in 2001 but took 14 more months before issuing the final authorization.

"I like the way the community came together," County Commissioner Christopher Kingsley said. "This was a divisive issue."

So many in the community came together Saturday, in fact, that long lines formed at the hospital entrances.

"We're excited," Spring Hill resident Henry Sommer said. "But we're waiting for the crowd to subside."

Sommer and his friends sat outside instead, listening to country music and munching on hot dogs and Cracker Jack.

Sommer, who has a rare lung disease and is on oxygen 24 hours a day, said he used to go to the old hospital, which is on Ponce de Leon Boulevard southwest of downtown Brooksville.

"I'm glad it's here," he said of the new location.

The facility features more advanced imaging and patient monitoring equipment, about 50 percent more operating room space, more than double the emergency room capacity and twice as many private rooms.

"It's gorgeous. I especially like the dining room area," Debra Gould-Avery of Spring Hill said. "I like the layout."

Gould-Avery said she planned on going to Spring Hill Regional but couldn't resist the opportunity to look around at the open house.

Apparently, many Hernando residents felt the same way. A crowd gathered to eat, listen to country music, tour the hospital and gather information on new services.

"Real good," Aurelio Torres of Brooksville said. "Very, very good."

Torres, 69, said he had open heart surgery in 2001 and is happy to have a modern facility so close to his home.

When asked if he plans to use the facility, Torres said yes - but hopefully not in the near future.

"I'm feeling good now," he said.

[Last modified September 27, 2005, 02:45:31]