Panel to probe health concerns

By Uriah A. Kiser

Published: April 23, 2008

STAFFORD — As the opening for the new Stafford Healthcare Center nears, the company that will operate the facility said it wants to know more about the health concerns area residents have.

Medicorp, the company that operates Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, and the new Stafford hospital once it opens, has assembled a panel of 12 people tasked to find out what health problems will exist once the new center is complete.

“There has been a lot of interest in this new Stafford Healthcare Center, and we wanted to put this advisory panel together to let the citizens learn about the center, and to find out what problems might still exist once it’s built,” said Edd Houck, director of corporate and community programs at Medicorp.

Houck said the company has mailed more than 600 personal invitations to people living within one mile of the new hospital, to attend the event that will be held at the Rowser Building on May 1. A print advertising campaign for the event will start next week.

The panel that will be fielding the residents’ concerns will be made up of volunteers handpicked by the company, many with healthcare backgrounds, said Houck.

“Transportation for healthcare needs, access, affordability — these will all most likely be topics that will come up at the meeting,” said Houck.

The meeting will be divided into two parts, with the first portion including a slideshow about the new Stafford medical center, and the second portion being a professionally moderated question-and-answer session dealing with residents’ concerns, said Houck.

The event will start at 6 p.m. and run until 9 p.m. Houck said there is no way to tell how many people will show up to the town hall-style meeting, but his group is planning for at least 200 people.

For more information about Medicorp’s Stafford Healthcare Center, visit medicorp.org/stafford.mgi.