Technology/Healthcare
Wheeling
Hospital
 Wheeling
Hospital builds on its tradition of skill and service, hope and love
to provide high quality health care with "the human touch."
It is a tradition that dates back before
the Civil War and before West Virginia became a state. Founded
in 1850, Wheeling Hospital has been serving the public longer
than any other hospital in West Virginia.
Innovation is also a tradition for Wheeling
Hospital. Its co-founder, Dr. Simon P. Hullihen, is recognized
as the Father of Oral Surgery for his many inventions and new procedures
in the mid-1800s.
Wheeling Hospital moved to a newly-developed
site, Medical Park, adjacent to Interstate 70, in 1975. The hospital
continues to develop new facilities and services to keep it in
the forefront of medical technology and community service. More
than 70 specialists also are engaged in private practice
at the interconnecting Professional Centers.
The hospital has 301 beds, including
277 for acute care and 24 for skilled care. The medical and dental
staff of 270 represents all specialties. The adjacent Bishop Hedges
Continuous Care Center has 60 skilled care beds and 60 long-term
beds.
In addition to its primary services,
Wheeling Hospital provides laser surgery, cardiac catheterization,
kidney dialysis, sports medicine, corporate health and wellness
programs. It has received national recognition for research in
these areas.
In 1988 Wheeling Hospital opened a new
$9.4 million Outpatient Center, and recently completed an extensive
remodeling project of the area to include a child care center.
Adjacent to the Outpatient Center is
the new, $2.5 million Women's Health Center, which provides mammography,
ABBI breast biopsy, bone density testing, and pre-natal services,
among others, in a centralized, warm setting. Another new area
is the Schiffler Oncology Center, which provides comprehensive
cancer treatment. The oncology center's director and a colleague
have received national attention for a method they developed for
minimally invasive treatment of early stages of prostate cancer
using radioactive implants.
Construction is under way on the two
level Education Center, which features a 150-seat auditorium, three
conference rooms and expanded Medical Library. The main lobby of
the hospital also has been extensively remodeled with a private
waiting area for families of surgery patients, a glass-domed court-yard
coffee shop and new gift shop.Services unique to Wheeling Hospital
include cardiac surgery, angioplasty and Boot Camp for New Dads.
Another unique feature is an anesthesia monitoring system that
allows precise administration of anesthesia during surgery.Other
specialty services include the 24hour emergency/trauma center,
cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, kidney dialysis, CT scanner,
neuro/ vascular laboratory, digital angiography and the hand therapy
center. The hospital also offers educational programs for thousands
of health care professionals and other community residents.
Spacious 212-acre Medical Park offers
many conveniences, including free parking.
The Wheeling Hospital Wellness Center
annually serves more than 5,000 persons of all age groups with
a comprehensive array of wellness programs and activities.
In 1992-93 the hospital constructed
the free-standing Howard Long Wellness and Rehabilitation Center.
Costing $4.6 million, the 50,000 square-foot complex is a multipurpose
facility. The center has 4,000 members and has 240,000 visits annually.
A million dollar federal grant was approved
for a national demonstration project to be conducted in the new
facility. The project, named AutoMed, provides a community-wide
data base on lifestyle and wellness statistics. Health care facilities,
schools, churches, libraries and other sources with computer terminals
and modems feed information into the center.
Health Care professionals are able to
track trends and situations immediately.
As community health care costs have
soared, Wheeling Hospital has enjoyed considerable success in holding
the line on medical care costs while maintaining the highest quality
of care.
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