Welcome to ZZ Sumter Regional Hospital

STATE OF THE HOSPITAL: A weekly update from David H. Seagraves, President and CEO of Sumter Regional Hospital

Posted 09/13/2007
Next Tuesday, Sumter County voters will go to the polls to vote on whether to continue Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or SPLOST, that has been in place here for __ years and that has helped to fund many important local projects.

Now, continuing the SPLOST is more important than ever, and I strongly urge voters to take the time to go to the polls and vote yes to extend this 1 percent sales tax through 2014.  It will be vital to Sumter Regional Hospital's current recovery efforts.

As most of you know, Americus and Sumter County leaders agreed, following the March 1 tornado that virtually destroyed the hospital, to rework plans for the SPLOST and earmark $3 million in projected revenues to support the hospital's recovery and rebuilding efforts.

That $3 million will be critical to our rebuilding efforts.  Even with it, we face an anticipated $12 million funding shortfall on both Sumter Regional East, the interim hospital currently under construction, and New Sumter Regional, which we expect to open in mid-2010.  We are now pursuing very specific plans to close that $12 million gap with a combination of government and philanthropic funding, and we have been gratified with early responses to our efforts.

But the city and county backing was important far beyond the actual dollars.  One thing we consistently hear from government agencies and philanthropists is that they want to see evidence of strong community support for the rebuilding effort before they make a significant investment in our community.  That was one thing that made the decisions by the Americus Mayor and Council and the Sumter County Commission to include Sumter Regional in the proposed SPLOST so important, and it has absolutely helped us in our discussions with other potential funders.
Now, however, it's vital that we be able to show broad public support for the effort as well – and nothing will do that better than a strong “yes” vote on the proposed SPLOST next Tuesday.  Conversely, a “no” vote will send a very bad signal to outside funding sources and leave us facing a hill that is both higher and steeper.

As you consider your vote, please know that we are making genuine progress in the hospital's recovery effort.  Sumter Regional East is now going up at a rapid pace and we expect to open for business in late November or early December.  Our financing picture has become much clearer in recent weeks, as both CHUBB, our insurer, and FEMA have clarified their commitments – and agreed to maximum levels of support.  With those hurdles behind us, we are now in the process of selecting architects and builders for New Sumter Regional.  We expect to break ground on the new hospital sometime next year.

In a few years, we expect to have a brand new state-of-the-art hospital that will be the envy of small communities throughout America.  Sumter Regional Hospital has been there for Americus, Sumter County, and the Middle Flint Region for 50 years, and we will be again, soon.
But right now we need the community to be there for Sumter Regional.

Please go to the polls next Tuesday and vote yes to continue the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.

US Patent Numbers 7,720,998 B2, 7,836,207