HANOVER COUNTY, VA (August 14, 2024) – In response to a growing population and increased demand for medical imaging and emergency health care services, Bon Secours leaders, along with representatives from the town of Ashland and Hanover County broke ground on Bon Secours – Ashland Emergency Center, expanding access to imaging and 24/7 emergency health care services within Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center’s existing service area.
The new, 10-bed, state-of-the-art facility will be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week with board-certified emergency department physicians and nurses utilizing the same state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment as found in Bon Secours’ hospitals. As such, ambulances can immediately transport patients needing an inpatient hospital stay to Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center for direct admission, bypassing the hospital ED. “We are thrilled to celebrate the beginning of construction for the Bon Secours – Ashland Emergency Center,” said John Emery, President, Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center and Bon Secours Rappahannock General Hospital. “These expanded emergency and imaging services will help to decompress high volumes on the main campus of our award-winning Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center while also improving medic reliability and emergency transport times for the Hanover community and beyond. We are thrilled to be able to better serve our patients by bringing vital medical services closer to where they live.” Historical utilization rates highlight the need for the expansion of emergency and imaging services. This strategic move will improve geographic and convenient access to CT and MRI imaging while better distributing 24/7 emergency care services closer to our patients. The new emergency department and imaging center is expected to provide numerous community benefits, including: • alleviating high emergency department volumes at Memorial Regional Medical Center, • enhancing medic reliability, • improving emergency transport times, and • providing imaging services convenient for patients. The new facility will also allow Bon Secours to extend the compassionate, quality care the health system is known for to the greater Hanover County area, ensuring that residents will have timely access to critical medical services, enhancing overall community health and well-being. “The groundbreaking for Bon Secours – Ashland Emergency Center represents a crucial investment in the health and well-being of our entire county and is a significant step forward for our community,” said John Budesky, Hanover County Administrator. “It’s no secret our area is experiencing increased demand for medical imaging and emergency health care services. When complete, this facility will provide timely emergency access to the citizens of northern Hanover and Ashland, as an extension of the excellent care already provided by Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center. It will also strengthen our health care infrastructure and ensure that we are well-prepared to meet future health care demands of our community.” Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center has been faithfully serving Hanover County and the surrounding communities for more than 25 years and recently completed its expansion, which further demonstrates Bon Secours’ continued investment in meeting the growing health needs of this community. At the end of 2022, the hospital completed a new wing which features 43 in-patient beds and is home to neuroscience and orthopedic units, in addition to physical therapy and rehabilitation services.