Director of Capital Projects Deanne Avery (left) and hospital CEO and President Kathy Bailey cut the ribbon, celebrating UNC Health Blue Ridge's new six-story patient tower on Wednesday, Aug. 21. Immediately to Bailey's left are Morganton Mayor Ronnie Thompson and White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Dr. Rahul Gupta.
Director of Capital Projects Deanne Avery (left) and hospital CEO and President Kathy Bailey cut the ribbon, celebrating UNC Health Blue Ridge's new six-story patient tower on Wednesday, Aug. 21. Immediately to Bailey's left are Morganton Mayor Ronnie Thompson and White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Dr. Rahul Gupta.
The new six-story, 220,560-square-foot patient tower on the Morganton campus of UNC Health Blue Ridge was celebrated with a dignitary-filled ribbon cutting on Wednesday, Aug. 21.
They — and the community — have plenty of reasons to celebrate.
The new Emergency Department (ED) floor is more than triple the size of the current one at 39,721 square feet. The ED has 29 exam rooms, including four trauma rooms with the latest life-saving equipment to stabilize patients. The current emergency department is 12,340 square feet with 20 treatment rooms.
The new ICU floor, almost five times larger than the existing one, boasts 30 beds. The old space has 16. The rooms are spacious and accommodate life-saving equipment. There is ample space for visiting family members with a sleeper sofa and recliner. Three rooms are specifically designed for bariatric patients.
The ceremonial opening of the tower included remarks by Jon Mercer, chief operating officer; Kathy Bailey, president and CEO; Mike Bridges, past board chair; Dr. Rahul Sampath, president medical staff; Dr. Rahul Gupta, White House director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy; Tonia Stephenson, president and CEO of Burke County Chamber of Commerce; Morganton Mayor Ronnie Thompson; Burke County Commissioner Jeff Brittain; and Dr. Anthony Frank, chief medical officer.Â
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
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