RICHARD AND ANGELA CLARK CENTER FOR CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE

On the Doylestown Hospital campus, the construction of the Cardiovascular and Critical Care Pavilion signals exceptional progress toward one of the earliest priorities of ONE VISION: The Campaign for Doylestown Health. The unprecedented $100 million comprehensive campaign will provide the resources to meet the expanded health and wellness needs of the community, now and in the future.

Philanthropic Partnerships Accelerate Progress

“An amazing example of this is the leadership gift from our One Vision Campaign Chairs Richard and Angela Clark,” says Jim Brexler, President and CEO of Doylestown Health. “We are proud to link their name with our new Center for Critical Care Medicine. With their significant support, we are now positioned to provide the next level of specialized and intensive care to our most vulnerable patients, honoring our mission to proactively improve the health of the community we serve.”

The entire third floor of the new Cardiovascular and Critical Care Pavilion will be the future home of the Clark Center for Critical Care Medicine. The state-of-the-art facility will allow Doylestown Hospital to accommodate a higher volume of ICU/IMU patients with enhanced patient safety, privacy and comfort.

The initial timeline for the building called for the third floor to be built at a later stage, “but with philanthropic gifts we can leverage the cost benefit and timing of having construction crews remain on site to complete the third floor,” says Laura Wortman, Vice President and Chief Development Officer. “The initial philanthropic investments from the Clarks and our own Bucks County Medical Associates have helped accelerate the timing for the build out. Their gifts, combined with others, will help establish a greater comprehensive healthcare destination for patients and families. While significant funds are still needed, we are well on our way to moving forward with this critical phase of construction.”

Expanding a Successful Model for Intensive Care

Design plans for the new Center support the physical, technological and staffing capabilities to expand Doylestown Hospital’s successful intensivist program, a model in which board-certified physicians, known also as intensivists, specialize in the care of critically ill patients and are available in the ICU around the clock, seven days a week.

Together with the highly-skilled care teams in the ICU, the intensivist personally oversees daily multidisciplinary rounding that engages the patient when possible and their family members in the care plan. Intensivists frequently collaborate and consult with medical-surgical colleagues across disciplines to design personalized and coordinated care plans for every patient.

“Because of their commitment to patient safety, nearly three years ago Doylestown Health took the steps to plan for the growth of this best-practice model. Since then, we’ve seen improved outcomes for ICU patients overall, and specific improvements to metrics such as decreased ventilator days and a shorter length of stay in the ICU,” notes Medical Director Les A. Szekely, MD, FCCP, DABSM.

A member of Bucks County Medical Associates, Dr. Szekely and his team were early contributors to the One Vision campaign. When they learned of the possibility that the third floor could be completed sooner with the help of additional philanthropy, they made the decision to ‘double-down’ and make an additional investment to move this project forward. “We truly believe that the new center will make a difference for our patients,” he shares.

Supporting Innovation

For Dick, retired Chairman and CEO, Merck & Co., and his wife, Angela, the inspiration for their gift goes beyond gratitude. “Four generations of our family have been patients at Doylestown Health and benefitted from the exceptional and personal care here,” says Dick. Adds Angie, “we are glad to know that this facility will take shape much faster and be available to provide the care and comfort to patients and families who need it.”

As in life, “timing is everything,” notes Dick. “Angie and I are very excited about the innovation taking place because of the dedicated leadership and physicians like Dr. Szekely and his colleagues,” he continued. “When we learned of Bucks County Medical Associates’ additional gift to the One Vision campaign, it became clear that our investment and its timing could make a difference now. We are so proud of Bucks County Medical Associates’ commitment to double their gift,” says Dick. “It demonstrates just how dedicated this team is.”

Learn more about the Clark Center for Critical Care Medicine