Some people still think that
the South is backward. They assume that
we are technologically unsophisticated and intellectually crude. If only these folks could see the new Northside
Hospital in Canton, this might change their minds.
My wife Linda, and I, along
with thousands of other North Georgians, took advantage of the opportunity to
tour the hospital before its official opening.
This was both a delight and an eye-opener. Aside from the fun, we gained precious insights
on the medical advances that will soon be available.
Linda is a medical
sociologist. Earlier in her career, she
was a practicing nurse, but she now teaches sociology at Kennesaw State
University. For several years, her
primary research interest has been medical error. She has been trying to understand what sometimes
goes wrong and what can be done to prevent it.
It was therefore through her
professional eye that we evaluated what we saw.
Happily, this was very reassuring.
From the beginning, our guides emphasized the goal of efficiency. Patients were to be given what they needed as
expeditiously as possible.
Effective communications was
key to achieving this. The goal was to
make information on who was doing what to whom readily available to both staff
and patients. To this end, channels for
accurately transmitting data were built into the design of the rooms
themselves.
We were also pleased to see
how conveniently the most modern forms of medical equipment were arranged. The idea was to make it easier for people to
use these without those involved getting in each other’s way. This too would prevent accidents by
misadventure.
Next we appreciated the stress
on patient comfort. The décor of the
hospital, including its many pieces of artwork, was intended to put people, who
might otherwise be alarmed, at ease.
Beauty has a way of making us feel good, despite the pressures we may be
under.
The convenience of the relatives
and friends of patients was also deemed paramount. Hospitals were once places where isolation
was the norm. Although the gravely ill
might share a ward with strangers, a sense of being alone could heighten an
already disturbing experience.
Contemporary medicine has
clearly learned the importance of social support. We humans are reassured when our attachments
to other humans are respected. The new
Northside Hospital was plainly designed with this in mind.
This compassionate orientation
was also on display in the women’s wing.
Instead of babies being taken from their mothers and exhibited in what
might feel like a meat market, efforts were made to keep the two together in
the same room. No doubt, this will
facilitate emotional bonding.
Once upon a time, in the not
very distant past, Cherokee county was rural and remote. The roots of most residents ran deep and
their attachments to the community were strong.
This, of necessity, changed as the population grew. The newcomers, in particular, might well feel
insular.
Having a first-rate medical
facility virtually around the corner goes a long way to alleviating the
potential for isolation. Knowing that
there is appropriate assistance quickly available is reassuring. It may not be the same as family, but
dependable care is itself a kind of balm.
During our tour, my wife and
I overheard many others marveling at the state of the art amenities to which we
were introduced. Time and again, they
commented on how they hoped they would not have to use these anytime soon, but
were glad they were nearby.
Linda and I felt the
same. Weeks have passed since our visit,
but we still comment to each other on how pleasurable it was. This was southern hospitality at its best.
So now the hospital is up
and running. For us this represents an agreeable
combination of the old and the new. The
cordiality of the historic South has been merged with the technical knowhow of
the present to create an auspicious enhancement. Tradition has been honored, but so has the
need for quality medical interventions.
Melvyn L. Fein, Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology
Kennesaw State University
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