“I’ve been donating to Richmond Children’s Hospital for years and years, and my husband has even volunteered there at times. So, when I saw all this press about the need for a new hospital for kids, I was confused.”
That was RFM reader Jean Farmer’s reaction to “The PACKids Mission” in RFM’s October 2012 Health Focus article on the local consortium’s goal of one day operating a freestanding children’s hospital in Richmond. You can read the article in the RFM archive. Other responses to the story – which also extolled the virtues of many of Richmond’s current children’s healthcare providers – were more forthcoming. “Richmond parents should know we do have a Children’s Hospital here is Richmond and it is called Children’s Hospital at VCU Medical Center,” Jennifer Fannin, a Richmond nurse, commented in an email to RFM. Fannin went on to say that VCU Medical Center has invested “millions of dollars to create a dedicated Pediatric Emergency Room at a level one trauma center in which a child can be treated for something as simple as asthma to something as complex as a life threatening burn, with dedicated specialist onsite 24-7.” Fannin also mentioned the longevity of the debate and the need for stakeholders to provide what is “truly best for the children in the Richmond area.”
Members of the community are invited to join the discussion about building a freestanding, full-service children’s hospital in the Richmond region.
Pediatricians Associated to Care for Kids (PACKids) has scheduled a town hall meeting Wednesday, February 6, from 6:30-9:00 PM, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 815 E. Grace Street.
The meeting will be moderated by Tom Silvestri, publisher of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He will facilitate a Q&A session following a panel discussion.
Special guests on the panel of experts will include:
Martin J. Gavin, President & CEO of Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
Dr. Kevin B. Churchwell, CEO of Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children
Farzan Bharucha, Partner & Director of Strategy Practice (firm that conducted a recent feasibility study)
“This meeting will help attendees understand the urgent need for a freestanding children’s hospital, as well as the beneficial impact that it would have on our region’s economy and on the care of our region’s children,” said Dr. Melissa Nelson, a PACKids board member. “We invite the community to discover why over 250 local pediatricians and pediatric specialists are working hard to make this dream a reality.”
Attendance is free, but reservations are recommended due to limited space in the church. Please RSVP at www.packids.org. Limited parking is available in St. Paul’s garage – enter from Eighth Street.
About PACKids: Pediatricians Associated to Care for Kids (PACKids) is a nonprofit organization of pediatricians and healthcare professionals working to build a full-service children’s hospital in Central Virginia. For more information, visit www.packids.org.
