Loneliest Road Campaign visits Carilion Clinic Children's Hospital

We had an incredible visit this morning from the Loneliest Road Campaign! They're a group of 7 fathers who have children with neuroblastoma, an aggressive pediatric cancer. They're trying to raise $3 million for potentially life-saving treatments currently unavailable due to a lack of funding. Their efforts could help their own children, and thousands of others, including children in Southwest Virginia who are fighting this disease. For more information, including a link to the campaign's web site, check out our story at carilion.com
You can also follow their progress on their blog.


Dr. Alice Ackerman, Carilion Chair of Pediatrics, and Dr. Joan Fisher, Pediatric Oncologist, welcome the cyclists to Carilion Clinic Children's Hospital and join them for a news conference.


Dr. Fisher conducts a tour of the Children's Hospital




Click for video of the Loneliest Road crew leaving on the next leg of their journey - have a safe trip guys!

Patient Services Remaining at Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital

With all the discussion about moving in-patient services out of Community Hospital, we should also list the services that will remain at CRCH, including:

• Urgent Care - Beginning Friday morning, 8/21 - 7:30 am to 10:00 pm daily, including weekends
  
• Occupational Medicine
• Endoscopy
• Wound Care
• Pediatric Dental
• Lactation Center
• Imaging: X-ray, CT and Ultrasound, Monday through Friday - 8 am to 4:30 pm
  

Move Follow-up, pictures

Ambulances line up outside Community Hospital before 8:00 a.m. , prepared to begin moving patients from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)Meanwhile, nurses make final preparations in the new PICU at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital
PICU staff welcome Lucas Abbott, the first patient moved into the new facility this morning. Thanks to Lucas's family for letting us share these pictures, and thanks to Carilion photographer Darryle Arnold for these, and many of the other move pictures posted on this blog!

10:17 Move update - Move complete!

The last pediatric patient from Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital arrived at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital at 10:16. The move is now complete. Over the past 3 days, we have moved a total of 83 patients.
A big thank you to everyone involved in planning and supporting the move.

We will be posting some additional pictures of the first patient to arrive at CRMH a little bit later this morning.

10:10 Move update - Last pediatric patient leaves Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital

The last pediatric patient has left Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital. The Pediatric Unit at Community Hospital is now closed.

10:00 Move update - PICU move complete

The last patient from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital has been transferred to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. The PICU at Community Hospital is now closed. Patients will begin moving from the Pediatric Unit shortly.

9:30 Move update - Parking information

Good Morning! The second phase of the move continues on schedule.

Media - if possible, please let your viewers, readers, listeners know that visitors to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital need to be aware of a new parking configuration. We have added a new section to the old Bellview parking garage. The entire garage has been renovated.

The entrance formerly used by the public at the top floor of the garage on Bellview is now an exit. Visitors can no longer enter the parking garage from Bellview Avenue. Visitors to the hospital should follow the blue and white signs to the new parking entance on Hamilton Terrace.

9:00 am Move update - Pediatric Intensive Care move partially complete

Half of the patients in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit have completed the move to Carilion Clinic Children's Hospital.
Once the PICU move is complete, we will begin moving patients from the Pediatric Unit.
The new playroom at the Children's Hospital is ready.

Note - parking at Carilion Roanoke Memorial for patient's families and visitors has recently changed. Details in the next blog post.

8:30 Move update - Phase 2 has begun

The Move, phase 2, is underway. We are planning to move 9 patients today from our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and Pediatric Unit.

Staff of the Pediatric Unit are busy making final preparations to greet their new guests!

8:15 Move update

Phase 2 of the move is underway. Ellyn Roberts made the call to begin the move at 8:05 - watch on the video above.

We expect a total of 9 patients to move today. That will complete the move of Community Hospital In-patient services to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

Note - Remember the Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital Emergency Department will close tonight at 10:00. All Carilion emergency patients should go to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

7:15 am Move update - Phase 2 is about to begin

Good morning!

Phase 2 of the Move is set to begin at about 8:00. Patients from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and the Pediatric Unit will be moving to the new Carilion Clinic Children's Hospital.

Watch this blog for updates.

The picture above is the Move team holding it's 6:30 a.m. pre-move briefing

5:40 Move update - Today's move is complete!

The last NICU baby arrived at CRMH at 5:21 p.m.
Today's move is officially complete!

A total of 76 patients were moved today.

The Labor and Delivery unit, the Mother/Baby unit and NICU at Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital are now closed.

5:15 Move update - Last NICU patient leaves Community Hospital

Today's move is complete for Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital!
The last NICU patient left CRCH at 5:15 p.m.
The move of the Mother/Baby unit and the Labor & Delivery Unit was completed earlier today.

The next phase of the move begins September 20th at 7:00 a.m. and involves the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Unit.

Also on September 20th, at 10:00 p.m. the Emergency Department at CRCH will close – from that point on, all emergency patients will be treated at CRMH.
On September 21st, 7:30 a.m.- The former emergency department at CRCH will re-open as an urgent care center, and will be open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. See the news release posted earlier today for more information on the Urgent Care transition.

Thanks to everyone who was involved in today's successful move!

4:30 Move update

As of now, 73 patients have moved from Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
We are estimating that this phase of the move will be complete by 7:00 p.m. this evening.

The next phase of the move, the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and the Pediatric Unit, will begin on September 20th, this Thursday.

Move Media Coverage

Dr. Alice Ackerman, Carilion Clinic's Chairman of Pediatrics and the Pediatric Medical Director for the Move, talks with Timothy Martin from WFIR, Joy Sutton with WDBJ, Dawn Jefferies with WSLS and Amber Davison with WSET.

3:40 Move update

The Move continues to go smoothly.
The Labor & Delivery move and the Mother/Baby move are both complete.
The NICU move continues ahead of schedule.
Currently, 69 patients have been moved from CRCH to CRMH

Welcome Aiyanna!

Congratulations to Christie Padilla and a big WELCOME to Aiyanna Padilla, the first baby born at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital after the move!
The media thinks Aiyanna is a star!
Aiyanna was born at 10:11 this morning and weighs 7 lbs.

1:40 p.m. Move update

The 2:00 media interview opportuntity is still on. Meet in front of the RiverWalk Garage, park in the semi-circle in front of the garage.

As of now, a total of 49 patients have completed the move.

1:00 p.m. Move update

As scheduled the Mother - Baby move (moms who have already delivered their babies) started at 1:00 p.m.
The NICU move continues on schedule.
The Labor and Delivery move is complete.
Currently, 36 patients have completed the move

More Pictures

The New NICU at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital

Unloading a NICU patient at CRMH

12:45 Move update - Picture just in!

Ambulances lined up at Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital waiting to transport Neonatal Intensive Care Unit patients

Loading NICU patients for transport to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital

Getting ready for new patients at the CRMH mother-baby floor

12:30 p.m. Move update

The Move is progressing as planned. As of now, a total of 27 patients have been moved from
CRCH to CRMH.
We are still planning an interview availability for the media at 2:00, in front of the Riverwalk Parking Garage

Noon Move update -- L&D move complete at Community Hospital

Good afternoon!
One phase of the Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital move is complete. The last Labor and Delivery patients have left CRCH, en route to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
The Labor and Delivery floor at CRCH is now closed.
As mentioned earlier, anyone who is coming to the hospital to deliver a baby should go to the Emergency Department at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

The Mother/Baby floor (mothers who have already delivered) is currently on schedule to begin moving at 1:00.

11:20 MOVE update - Media briefing scheduled

The move continues - we are on, or possibly even ahead of schedule (knock on wood!). The third round of NICU babies is currently being transported from CRCH to CRMH.

Media Briefing - Members of the media who would like an on-camera/on-tape interview about the move should meet in front of the RiverWalk parking garage at 2:00. You can park in the temporary spots in the semi-circle in front of the building. Dr. Alice Ackerman, the Chair of Pediatrics will be available to talk about the progress of the move. You can conduct joint or one-on-one interviews - that's up to you.

10:30 update. Its a Girl!

The first baby has been born at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital - its a girl! She was born at 10:11 a.m. and weighed 7 pounds. This was not one of the patients being transferred from CRCH, this patient came directly in to CRMH to deliver.

Currently a total of 21 patients have been moved from CRCH to CRMH.

9:50 Move update

Not a lot to report at this time. The Move continues on schedule. A total of 12 patients have completed the move. We expect the last labor and delivery patient to leave Community Hospital around noonish.
If you are running any mid-morning updates, either on the air or online, you might remind the public that anyone coming to the hospital in labor today should go to the Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital emergency department.

9:15 Move update

Good morning!

The CRCH move continues to make good progress without any major complications.

Today's move, including NICU patients, Labor & Delivery patients and mothers with babies, will involve a total of about 85 patients.

Reminder - As of 7:00 this morning, CRCH is no longer accepting new NICU or Labor & Delivery patients. All new NICU and L&D patients will be admitted to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Anyone going to the hospital in labor should go directly to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

Parking note - The Bellview parking garage, across the street from CRMH, has been renovated. As a result the entrance has changed. Cars will now enter the garage from the bottom floor (off Hamilton Terrace) and exit from the upper floor (Bellview).

Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital Emergency Room Conversion to Urgent Care Center

News Release

Date:
September 17, 2007

Contact:
Eric Earnhart
Carilion Strategic Development
Telephone (540)224-4966

CARILION URGENT CARE OPENS AT COMMUNITY HOSPITAL ON SEPTEMBER 21

Community Hospital’s emergency room will close on September 20th – all emergency patients will be treated at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital

ROANOKE, Va. (September 17, 2007) On Thursday, September 20 at 10:00 p.m., the emergency room at Carilion Roanoke Community hospital will be closed. From that point forward, all Carilion emergency patients will be treated at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
On Friday, September 21st, at 7:30 am, Carilion Urgent Care will open in the space formerly occupied by the Emergency Department. Urgent care is designed for patients who have an illness or injury that needs to be addressed quickly, but is not an “emergency”. No appointment is necessary. Urgent Care patients are seen by a doctor in the order they register, and, unlike an Emergency Department, do not have to wait while patients with more serious illness or injuries are treated. Carilion Urgent Care – Community Hospital will be open daily, from 7:30 am to 10 pm.

Illnesses and injuries that should be treated at Carilion Urgent Care – Community Hospital include:

· Minor cuts and lacerations
· Sprains
· Earaches
· Colds, coughs and sore throat
· Skin rashes
· Insect bites, minor animal bites
· Minor cooking burns
· Minor injuries

Illnesses and injures that MUST be treated at the closest emergency department, such as the one at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

· Loss of consciousness
· Heart attack symptoms
· Stroke symptoms
· Difficulty breathing
· Uncontrolled bleeding
· Sudden, severe pain
· Poisoning
· Head trauma
· Coughing up or vomiting blood
· Severe or persistent vomiting
· Suicidal feelings

In addition, Carilion continues to offer urgent care at Carilion Urgent Care – Roanoke, open at 3369 Colonial Avenue since 2005. Carilion Urgent Care – Roanoke is open from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm Monday through Friday, and from 12 pm to 4 pm Saturday and Sunday.
For more information about Carilion Urgent Care, call Carilion Clinic at 266-6000, or visit www.carilion.com for a simple home guide that will help you determine whether an illness or injury requires urgent care or emergency care.





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8:30 Move update

The first CRCH patients have arrived at Carilion Roanoke Memorial about 15 minutes ago- a set of twins from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. As of 8:30, the first 6 NICU patients had completed the move. Labor and Delivery patients are currently enroute.

A reminder to media - if you are planning to go to Community Hospital to take video/photographs, you will need to stay on the sidewalk outside the property. If you see a videographer/photographer taking pictures around the ambulances, that is a Carilion employee documenting the move for internal use. Thanks for your patience and accomodation on this.

The Move is underway!

Good morning.

The Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital

(CRCH) move is underway.

The first six Neonatal Intensive Care Unit babies began moving from CRCH at 8:03 a.m.

The Move command center is up and running at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital CRCH).

11 Carilion ambulances are assigned to the move.

Expect the next update no later than 8:30.

Pre-Move Media Briefing

On Tuesday, September 18th we will begin the process of moving in-patient services from Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital (CRCH)to their new home at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital (CRMH).
The process will continue through the end of the week.

Here is a brief outline of the expected timing of events:

September 18th, 7:00 a.m.
- CRCH will stop admitting NEW obstetric, gynecologic and neonatal patients. All new obstetric, gynecologic and neonatal patients will be admitted to CRMH after 7:00 a.m.

September 18th, 8:00 a.m.
- Labor & Delivery patients begin moving from CRCH to CRMH (patients who have not delivered babies yet)
- NICU patients begin moving from CRCH to CRMH

September 18th, 1:00 p.m.
- Patients in the Mother-Baby unit of CRCH will begin moving to CRHM. (patients who have already delivered their babies)

September 20th, 7:00 a.m.
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Unit patients will move from CRCH to CRMH

September 20th, 10:00 p.m.
- Emergency Department at CRCH will close – all emergency patients will be treated at CRMH

September 21st, 7:30 a.m.
- The former emergency department at CRCH will re-open as an urgent care center, and will be open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.


News media coverage on Moving Days:

- Members of the news media will not be allowed on the property at CRCH or CRMH during the move to allow staff members to focus full attention on the patients and the move itself.
- Ambulances moving patients from CRCH to CRMH will be visible from the public areas around CRCH.
- Status reports and updates for the media will be posted at regular intervals on this blog site.
- At some point during the move, someone will be available for on-camera interviews. Check this blog for time and place.

Moving Day

Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital will begin moving in-patient services to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital on Tuesday, September 18th.
Watch this blog for updates!