MARTINSBURG, W.Va. – West Virginia University Hospitals-East, City Hospital in Martinsburg and Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Ranson, will join hospitals and health care facilities across the nation in celebration of National Hospital Week 2010.
Celebrating Health, Hope & Healing is the theme for this year’s celebration, scheduled for May 9 - 15. The message that health care facilities across the country are voicing is that a hospital is more than a place where people go to heal. It is part of the community that fosters health and represents hope.
“From providing treatment and comfort to the sick, to welcoming new life into the world, hospitals are central to a healthy and optimistic community,” stated Dr. Christina Coad, chief administrative officer at Jefferson Memorial Hospital.
National Hospital Week is also a celebration of people. “It’s always been about our people. Change is inevitable but our goals and our mission are constant. Our employees, physicians and volunteers want the very best for our patients, and that’s what they bring to our hospitals every day of the year,” Coad commented.
Various events are being planned at both Jefferson Memorial Hospital and City Hospital to honor and recognize the tireless efforts of all staff members. These events include employee service banquets and ice cream socials. Each WVUH-East employee will also be presented with a gift of appreciation as part of the hospital week activities.
“The people who meet the daily health care needs of this nation are a committed, compassionate group of individuals united by their calling to help others,” said Anthony Zelenka, chief administrative officer at City Hospital. “We are extremely proud of our dedicated health professionals at WVUH-East. They deserve the utmost regard and sincere appreciation for keeping our communities healthy,” he added.
The WVUH-East 2010 National Hospital Week celebration will kick off on Saturday, May 8 with a community Health Expo in the McCormack Center on the City Hospital campus, co-sponsored by Comcast. The event featuring free health screenings, health information, and healthy lifestyle tips and demonstrations, will be held from 9 am until 1 pm.
Both WVUH-East hospitals will also be offering screening mammograms for $45 on Saturday, May 8 from 8 am until 12 noon. This is a cash, check or credit card only offer and pre-registration is required. Mammograms may be scheduled by calling community wide scheduling at 304.264.1297 for City Hospital and 304.724.5647 at Jefferson Memorial Hospital.
National Hospital week was launched in 1921 and, over the decades, has helped revolutionize the public view of hospitals. For more information on the WVUH-East National Hospital Week events, contact the marketing department at 304-264-1223.
History of National Hospital Week
· First hospital on American soil was built in Philadelphia in 1751 at the urging of Benjamin Franklin
· 1918 flu outbreak became the deadliest epidemic in American history…this climate of fear and fatalism captured the attention of a Chicago magazine editor in 1921 who called for hospitals to open their doors to the public for just one day and for the public to come inside and see the modern advances
· May 12, 1921, American celebrated its first National Hospital Day, fittingly held on Florence Nightingale’s birthday
· In 1953, the event spread across the country and was expanded to National Hospital Week