Beebe branching out toward Route 113 corridor
Beebe Medical Center has launched an aggressive outreach building program in an effort to provide services within 20 minutes to 90 percent of Sussex County residents' homes. Included in the campaign is a new Georgetown facility and a new partnership in Millsboro to provide services similar to those offered at the Beebe Health Campus on Route 24 between Lewes and Rehoboth Beach.
Jeffrey Fried, Beebe president and CEO, and Alex Sydnor, vice president of external affairs, updated Sussex County Council on the plan during council's July 24 meeting.
“We are looking at changes in the way health care is delivered in our country and in our area,” Fried said. “It's not sustainable the way it's structured now; we need a more efficient way and alternatives to traditional hospital services with more outpatient services.”
He said, with limited resources, medical facilities are being forced to seek out partnerships and work with other organizations. Beebe is also ramping up its screening for diseases such as breast cancer and diabetes to intervene sooner.
Sydnor said Beebe's data shows that demand for outpatient services will increase 19 percent by 2015, while demand for inpatient services will increase by 13 percent. Sydnor noted that in 2008 more than 2,300 people in Beebe's primary service area went out of state for medical care and the number does not include those who went to upstate medical facilities for care. Beebe officials want to be able to provide medical services to keep Sussex residents close to home.
With a focus on primary care, the new Georgetown complex will be located off Route 404 across from the recently opened La Red Health Center. Beebe will be the primary tenant in the complex owned and operated by the Onix and Woolley groups. Onix will own the land and Woolley will recruit other medical tenants offering specialities.
In Millsboro, the current lab and rehab services will remain at the Mitchell Street location but Beebe will partner with Mid-Atlantic Family Practice to provide walk-in care services in leased space on Route 24.
Sydnor said Milton is an area hospital officials are taking a serious look at to upgrade services in the future.
Beebe's current operations cover seven communities:
Lewes: Beebe Medical Center, main campus with emergency services, rehab services, imaging and lab services, 424 Savannah Road.
Rehoboth Beach: Bookhammer Outpatient Center providing imaging, lab services and rehab services, 18941 John J. Williams Highway (Route 24).
Rehoboth Beach: Tunnell Cancer Center providing medical oncology and radiation services, 18947 John J. Williams Highway (Route 24).
Milton: Beebe Lab Express, Clipper Square Shopping Center, 614 Mulberry St.
Georgetown: Beebe Imaging and Beebe Lab Express, Georgetown Professional Park, 20163 Office Circle.
Long Neck: Beebe Lab Express, diabetes management and wound care center, 32060 Long Neck Road.
Millsboro: Lab and rehab services, 232 Mitchell St.
Millville: Beebe Walk-In Care Center as well as imaging, lab and rehab services, Creekside Plaza, Route 26.
