Posted by Susan Hammond

DOING RED

In support of the Westfield Memorial Hospital’s RED (Renovate our Emergency Department) Campaign, the Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville recently made a $5,000 donation.  This Rotary Club has a long history of supporting the hospital, including helping to establish it 75 years ago.
 
Pictured is Patricia Gaughan DiPalma (center), Westfield Memorial Hospital Foundation Executive Director, receiving a $5,000 donation to the Westfield Memorial Hospital's RED (Renovate our Emergency Department) Campaign from the Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville as presented by Club President Janese Berkhouse (left). DiPalma, who was the guest speaker at the Oct. 24 meeting of this Rotary Club in Westfield, was introduced by Rotarian Dan Smith (right).
 
Westfield Memorial Hospital (WMH), which served 23,000 patients during this past year, is in the process of renovating its emergency department. Project highlights include a redesign of the emergency waiting room, new ambulance vestibule, implementation of a new split-flow area with two fast track intake bays, four new treatment rooms, one new large trauma room, a physician consult room and new staff stations.
 
The Westfield Memorial Hospital Foundation (WMHF) is committed to supporting this upgrade. Since the RED Campaign’s inception on October 6, 2016, 78% of the goal has been raised. The RED Campaign, now in its second year, will conclude on Dec. 31, 2017.
 
Patricia Gaughan DiPalma, WMHF Executive Director, was the guest presenter at the Oct. 24 meeting of Rotary Club. At this session, which was held at The Parkview in Westfield, DiPalma was introduced by Rotarian Dan Smith, who also serves on the WMH Foundation Board.
 
DiPalma stated, “The WMHF Board and I are grateful to the Westfield-Mayville Rotary Club and those in the community who have given to the vital Annual/RED Campaign.  This year, our treasured community hospital is celebrating two important milestones with the 75th birthday of the hospital and the 40th anniversary of the foundation. In order to continue serving the community for many more years to come, we would like to urge all those who have not yet given to please do so and help us to push that goal thermometer to its 100% mark of $650,000 goal.”
 
During her presentation, DiPalma gave a brief history of the hospital, offered some interesting facts, and explained various facets of the renovation project and associated costs. She noted “that starting in 2018, the hospital will be fully connected to Saint Vincent Hospital in Erie, PA, along with the entire Allegheny Health Network (AHN) through a new electronic medical record system called the EPIC system.”
               
DiPalma said: “Westfield Memorial Hospital served its first patient in the spring of 1942 and is one of the largest employers in northwest Chautauqua County with 98 full time and part time employees. Westfield Memorial likes to boast it’s one of the few hospitals left in New York State to have both a helipad and a hitching post! In the past 12 months, the emergency department had more than 7,500 visits. The WMH Physical Therapy Department treated more than 1,200 patients last year, and it has the highest satisfaction rating of any hospital service.” She continued her remarks noting: “The surgical department is projected to perform well over 1,000 surgical procedures next year alone.”
 
DiPalma outlined various funding sources for the foundation stating: “We garner most of our funds from the Annual Campaign. In addition to numerous raffles, the foundation has worked hard holding numerous signature events throughout the years in support of our mission. She then cited the foundation’s mission: “As a major source of fundraising for Westfield Memorial Hospital, the foundation will work with the hospital in providing financial support for the delivery of high quality healthcare to the residents of Chautauqua County.”
 
She continued by saying: “Many are familiar with our annual golf tournament; in fact, we’d like to thank Rotary for its sponsorship year after year. We have an endowment held at the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation (NCCF) and we also work hard to receive funding from numerous foundations and grants.  The foundation also has a Spencer Legacy Society for those donors who wish to include the foundation in one’s estate planning by establishing a trust fund or by supporting the WMHF through a retirement account or a life insurance policy, or simply by including the foundation in one’s will.  The foundation always welcomes Memorials and Honorariums as well.”
 
Prominently displayed in the hospital lobby is the WMHF Donor Board, which lists the names (in various giving categories) of those who have made contributions of $200 or more. Throughout the existence of both the hospital and foundation, numerous Rotarians have served on its boards. Westfield-Mayville Rotary Club members who currently serve on the WMH Board of Directors are Helen Baran - Chair, John Hamels, PhD – Vice Chair, Tracy Bennett – Treasurer and Tom Berkhouse – Trustee.