Sunday, September 21, 2008
I have been following with great interest the debate concerning the Hospital Corporation of America's proposal to provide a new hospital in the heart of eastern Loudoun County. Considering all of the facts and wading through the hyperbole and innuendo, I have come to one conclusion: Loudoun residents deserve additional and improved health-care services, and they deserve them now.
Loudoun's population is approximately 280,000, and, unbelievably, we have only one hospital. This represents a little more than 0.5 hospital beds per 1,000 residents, compared with a national average of more than three beds per 1,000 people. Taking into account the county's projected population growth over the next several years, the situation will only get worse without a new hospital.
The Virginia Department of Health recognized this and issued HCA the requisite certificate of public need in March 2004 to allow the hospital to move forward. The certificate is not easily attainable unless the applicant meets a multitude of rigorous standards.
Hospitals draw doctors, and our community needs more doctors and health-care professionals. According to the American Medical Association, Loudoun has fewer than 600 doctors, but neighboring Fairfax County has approximately 5,600. The Broadlands Regional Medical Center would bring more than 600 high-quality jobs and create increased business opportunities for other local companies.
HCA can use its national recruiting reach to bring more physicians to Loudoun. In addition, it is investing substantially in nursing and other medical programs to increase the capacities of schools that produce high-quality heath-care graduates. For example, HCA has donated $350,000 to Shenandoah University's nursing school over the past four years. Furthermore, it is intent on developing a pediatric partnership with Children's National Medical Center for a superior pediatric emergency room at the Broadlands hospital, with access to world-renowned specialists.
From my personal experiences as a business owner and Loudoun resident for about 20 years, our sole county hospital is unable to adequately meet the health-care needs of this community. Twice I have had to try to use the services of the nearby emergency room, and both experiences were distressing. In one instance, I ended up leaving with my 10-year-old son and drove to a hospital in Fairfax County, which was able to treat him in a timely and efficient manner. The other time, my 12-year-old daughter was put in an emergency room hallway for several hours because of a lack of beds.
Broadlands is the right location for the county's next hospital. It is squarely in the center of population growth. It is on a major transportation corridor, the Dulles Greenway. The hospital will bring far less car and truck traffic than an industrial site or office — uses that are allowed under the property's zoning. The site is also ideal in terms of response to a potential regional disaster.
BRMC would be a win-win for the county, its residents and the region as a whole. And when the demographics in other areas of the county can support a full-service hospital, the requisite state certificate will be issued, and either Inova or HCA may provide that facility as well.
Steven J. Delong, Ashburn
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