Dr. Tam: South Coastal Health Campus Shows Beebe’s Commitment to All of Sussex County 

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Standing in the new infusion center at the South Coastal Cancer Center, I realized that I had never been in such a comforting, warm, and welcoming space inside an oncology facility through all my years as a healthcare professional. 

The light brightened the room from the large windows. The garden beds were full of color. The fireplace to warm the heart and body during cold Delaware winters – which I have yet to experience. This facility says a lot about the Beebe team that had the foresight to plan and execute a facility that is so focused on the patient’s experience during what is often a very difficult time of medical care for people and their families.

My dad, who recently passed from his battle with cancer, would have really loved sitting by the fire looking out at the greenery, sipping his tea, and reading his paper.  It would have comforted him to have the freestanding emergency department right down the hall if there was a need for that service.

But buildings are just buildings if the people working in them don’t truly make the difference. The teams at this health campus have been looking forward to the opening of the facility to care for the patients who live and visit the South Coastal area around Millville, Dagsboro, Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, Ocean View, Millsboro and all of the other towns nearby. 

Many of the team members live in the area and know first-hand how needed these services are in the area and how convenient it will be to have emergency and oncology services close to home for their fellow community members. Also, as people who live in this area, they know how best to care for people who are friends, neighbors, and sometimes family. Cultural awareness and understanding is key in developing empathy, which is such an important ingredient in the delivery of truly exceptional care.

The opening of this campus signifies the completion of the first project in the Next Generation of Care expansion. It is a celebration of tremendous value to our team that we shared with you in the virtual world due to COVID-19.

The pandemic has changed many things about how healthcare is delivered in Sussex County, including how it has shaped the Next Generation of Care. Beebe quickly worked together as a team to bring advanced innovations to our patients in need of care. 

Beebe Medical Group rolled out a telemedicine platform months ahead of schedule so that patients could see their physician from the comfort and safety of their home. We’ve also enhanced our tele-monitoring of patients in the hospital and for those in need of Beebe Home Care Services.

Beebe has changed how we communicate with you – whether that be through town halls, Facebook live from testing sites, or answering your questions on our COVID-19 Screening Line.

We’ve rapidly changed our processes to keep you safe, but also created new operations – such as our Georgetown Walk-In Care converting to the COVID Positive Care Center.

Team Beebe has emerged from the crisis phase of this pandemic as a stronger health system. We have been forced to move more quickly than we ever had before, to swiftly innovate, and to be more flexible than usual in the face of prolonged crisis. Like the Marines: adapt, improvise, and overcome.

And while many things have changed – some things will always remain when you walk through the Beebe doors.

Safety remains our highest priority, and we’ve made very intentional and deliberate decisions to keep you safe whether it is visiting your primary care physician, a Walk-In Care center, or coming in for your scheduled surgery. 

What also won’t change is the Beebe brand of compassion that our patients have come to know and trust. It shines through in the exceptional experience we promise every patient, every time. It’s because, like at the South Coastal Cancer Center, you are our friends, neighbors, and family.

That is our commitment to you as we usher in the Next Generation of Care. It is not just about the new buildings and innovative technology but about keeping our promise to  provide the highest quality and compassionate healthcare to the people of Sussex County, and fulfilling our vision of making our community one of the healthiest counties in the nation for those who live, work, and visit our beautiful part of the country.  

David