Hospital Opens in Stafford County

Virginia welcomed its first new hospital in more than 30 years Friday when officials from MediCorp Health System opened Stafford Hospital Center.

On Route 1 in the heart of Stafford County, the $140 million, 100-bed hospital will serve Stafford and residents in southern Prince William County.

"Through leadership and the board of trustees, we were able to provide the community with a new state-of-the-art hospital," said Walt Kiwall, chief operating officer at MediCorp and president of Stafford Hospital Center. "This has come in under budget and six weeks ahead of schedule during a time when services are in high demand."

MediCorp, the parent company of Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, announced in summer 2005 its plan to build Stafford Hospital Center, a full-service medical campus that spans more than 23 acres. The project included not only the main facility but also road improvements and a $12.8 million medical office building, set to be completed in September.

"It's incredible when you realize that fewer than three years ago we didn't even have the state's permission for this life-saving facility that is already providing good jobs in Stafford," said Stafford County Supervisor Paul V. Milde III (R-Aquia), who represents the district where the hospital was built. "I'm delighted to have been able to play a part in this process."

Kiwall said the hospital has about 370 staff members, including some Prince William area physicians who are moving to the new medical campus. Because of that, Kiwall said, he expects others in the county will also use the new facility.

"The residents of southeastern Prince William County that we have spoken with are very excited about having options for their health care," Kiwall said. "We have identified portions of the county in our primary service area, a service area identified through usage of our medical staff and easier access due to the location of the hospital," just off the Stafford exit on Interstate 95.

The hospital offers inpatient and outpatient acute care. It has a full-service emergency department with 15 rooms, a family birthing center, a physical rehabilitation center, a pharmacy, a surgical wing, an intensive care unit and a helipad. The hospital also offers a variety of services including respiratory therapy and neurological testing.

Stafford officials said they have worked for years to bring a hospital to the area. Until Friday, members of the community had to travel to Fredericksburg or to Potomac Hospital or Prince William Hospital for service.

Stafford fire and rescue officials said the hospital was needed to save time and lives as congestion on I-95 makes it hard for ambulances to travel. Sometimes it can take 30 minutes round trip to get to Potomac or Mary Washington hospitals, time that can be crucial, they said, especially when people have strokes or heart attacks.

"A hospital in Stafford has been a long time coming for the citizens in the community and surrounding region," said Cathy Yablonski, senior vice president of operations at Stafford Hospital Center.

Potomac Hospital, in Woodbridge, has served north Stafford for more than 35 years. Spokeswoman Charlene Wilkins said that the hospital recognizes that having another medical option in the area will decrease its number of patients but that it is committed to the residents in Prince William, Fairfax and Stafford and will continue to provide "the highest quality [of] medical services."