After almost five years of work, UNC Health Blue Ridge leaders cut the ribbon Wednesday on the new patient tower on the hospital’s Morganton campus. Deanne Avery and Kathy Bailey (front row, third and fourth from left) cut the ribbon on the patient tower at UNC Health Blue Ridge in Morganton on Wednesday. The eight-story tower more than triples the size of the emergency department, nearly doubles the number of ICU beds and moves the hospital’s helipad to the roof.
“But this is not just a building,” said Kathy Bailey, CEO of UNC Health Blue Ridge. “It’s our commitment along with UNC Health to the future of you, to the future of Burke County and to the future of western North Carolina.” Kathy Bailey listens to one of the speakers at the ribbon-cutting for the patient tower at UNC Health Blue Ridge.
Mac McCrary, chairman of the UNC Health Blue Ridge board of directors, said hospital staff input was key in designing the new facility. Here are some of the features in the new facility hospital leaders have pointed out: The tower is equipped with four trauma rooms like the one pictured. The new building brings technology, larger elevators and enhanced ICU bed capabilities, said Jamie Adams, a nursing administrative supervisor.
“It makes it easier, as a nurse, to care for these patients when you have these facilities available,” Adams said. More than that, it makes the staff proud to work there, said Ashley Carpenter, another nursing administrative supervisor for UN.