SYLACAUGA —As a member of the radiology staff at Coosa Valley Medical Center in Sylacauga, Danny Daniel knows what it is like from the other side of the bed.Friday he found out what it is like to be a patient, but Daniel was a special patient — the first at Coosa Valley Medical Center’s new west wing.
Daniel had minor surgery and was the first patient moved into a room in the new hospital and the first treated by a nurse.
As the first patient, he received a plaque and a gift bag with several items, including a T-shirt.
The plaque had Daniel’s name engraved on it and reads, “For being the first patient admitted to the Coosa Valley Medical Center West Wing Project.”
Helping put Daniel’s personal items out in his brand new hospital room was his sister Lou Fomby and his brother-in-law Mike Fomby of Lake Martin.
As a big Alabama fan, Daniel sat connected to an IV with his Alabama surgical cap on as a nurse gave him pain medication. Being in the medical field, of course, Daniel questioned her as to what it was and how much she was administering.
He said he knows medical people sometimes make bad patients but he thinks he has been a pretty good one. “At least I’m trying,” he said.
Daniel has been in radiology at Sylacauga for 22 years. He said it was “a real honor to be the first patient in the brand new hospital.”
He recommends the ultra-modern facility to everyone. “The hospital has an outstanding staff that is wonderful. The service is outstanding,” he said. “Where else would I have this surgery done? People know me and I know them. This is such a vastly improved facility with huge rooms, modern equipment and wonderful people. It’s like a hotel.”
Dr. James Crook, who has been a general surgeon at Coosa Valley Medical Center for 35 years, met up with Glenn Sisk, chief executive officer of the hospital, in the new West Wing.
Crook called it a magnificent facility where medical personnel can provide good health care for several generations to come to the area.
“This is an excellent facility, and for some people it will be life saving,” Crook said.
Vanessa Green, vice president of the hospital, said the new cafeteria, the Hickory Street Café, opened Friday morning serving breakfast to customers and patients. Employees worked overnight to get the new equipment up and running to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Meanwhile, hospital employees, volunteers and Central Alabama Community College nursing students were moving equipment and patients into the new hospital.
The patient move was expected to be completed by dinnertime.
“I just want to thank everyone. This is a team effort. I also want to thank the community for all of its support and for turning out for the open house. In addition, a big thank you goes out to our medical staff and the Sylacauga Healthcare Authority. This is such a big day for our employees and the community,” Green said.
Open house was held May 6 at the west wing to give the public the opportunity to see it prior to patients moving in. The hospital also had to get approval from the Alabama Department of Public Health to occupy the facility, which it did this week.
The more than $28 million facility is approximately 120,000 square feet.
The original Sylacauga Hospital opened in April 1945. It holds the distinction of being the only non-military hospital to open during World War II.
