Obstetrical physicians at Garrett Regional Medical Center all joined together to cut the ribbon for the New Maternity Suite and unveiled the new Herbert H. and Dorothy B. Leighton Family Centered Maternity Suite. The new unit is named in honor of Dr. Herbert H. Leighton’s long-term tenure as a physician at the Hospital, primarily in the area of maternity and delivery services.
“This unit will be such a blessing to the families of Garrett County and surrounding areas for years to come. We are so thankful for everyone who helped make it possible to continue to provide quality, passionate care to families,” said Sotiere Savopoulos, MD, Chief of Obstetrical Services at Garrett Regional Medical Center.
The second floor of Garrett Regional Medical Center was full of community, family, friends, colleagues and staff who gathered for the event to recognize Herbert H. Leighton, MD and celebrate the opening of the new unit with him. Herbert Leighton, MD was the only delivering physician at the Hospital for many of his early years in practice. Throughout his career at Garrett Regional Medical Center he delivered a record total of 6,510 babies. On behalf of the Leighton family, Barbara Leighton, MD said, “My family is very happy that my parents are receiving this well deserved honor.”
The new unit houses five LDRP (labor, delivery, recovery, postpartum) rooms, an exam room and four private patient rooms. The unit is fully equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and patient centered accommodations. The large, hotel-like rooms are all designed with efficiency and patient and family comfort in mind.
Senator George Edwards said, “Garrett Regional Medical Center is a great facility. One that continues to grow and improve services to meet the health needs of the Garrett County region. I am proud of what the medical center has available and provides in the local community. People here deserve quality care, state of the art care, and we’re pleased that they do have access to it, right here at home.”
Also on hand for the celebration were many individual donors who helped to make the new unit possible. Among those were volunteers from the Hospital’s Loar Auxiliary who contributed a total of $30,000 to fund new rockers and infant cribs for the all the rooms. Named giving donors are recognized with plaques in the areas of funding to include: Clear Mountain Bank; Donald & Elizabeth Morin; Timothy Sines & daughter Myla; and Daryl & Dorothy Walters in the birthing rooms; James & Shirley Bailey in the nursery; GCC Technologies in the exam room; and Laurel R. Grant in the Family Centered Maternity Suite waiting room.
“I’m proud to work at a hospital that really cares about people and their families. We have the opportunity to provide the same great care in this beautiful new unit, with larger, more patient friendly rooms, allowing us to serve our patients better,” said Charlene Bennett, RN, director of obstetrics and the Family Centered Maternity Suite.
Mark Boucot, president & CEO of Garrett Regional Medical Center concluded by saying, “We are pleased with the new Family Centered Maternity Suite. We want to ensure that all of our new moms and babies have a positive birthing experience at Garrett Regional Medical Center. We are honored to be a part of these blessed events in the lives of our patients,” said Mark Boucot, GRMC president & CEO.