COVER STORY
The community’s voice became Wexford Hospital’s most important building block.
AHN Wexford Hospital Listened and Is Bringing to the Community the Care They Desire By Janice Lane Palko
“Listening to others’ viewpoints may reveal the one thing needed to complete your goals” - D. Ridgley
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ased on how the community has embraced the AHN Wexford Health + Wellness Pavilion since its opening in 2014, planners of the new AHN Wexford Hospital knew that patients desired to be treated in their community and not be forced to travel long distances to receive excellent health
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care. But they also knew something else – that the insights of those the hospital is being built for would be essential to ensuring that it truly meets the comprehensive health needs of the community. With that, the community’s voice became Wexford Hospital’s most important building block.
MARCH 2021 | www.northernconnectionmag.com
The new, 160-bed hospital along Route 19 in Pine Township, which has been under construction since its groundbreaking in August 2018, is scheduled to open to patients this fall. “Right from the start, we placed an emphasis on listening to the voices of our community in designing this amazing facility,” said Allan Klapper, MD, President, AHN Wexford Hospital. “We engaged with every stakeholder, from our caregivers, to local emergency medical services professionals, to local community leaders and business owners, to those who will be coming to the hospital as either patients or visitors. The feedback was instrumental to the construction of the hospital and to a design that will deliver a world-class, patient-centered health care experience.” AHN’s leadership listened to prospective patients and others on even seemingly minute details. “We have a community Patient/Family Council, and we regularly meet to get feedback and ideas on design elements and other services that will be offered at the hospital,” said Lisa Graper, Chief Nursing
