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Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point Affects Patient Transfer to Bring Together Couple Who Have Never Been Apart

Recently Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point learned that the husband of a patient in their intensive care unit was ill. The couple had been married for 60 years and had never been separated. The patient’s husband was in critical condition at Florida Hospital North Pinellas.

The situation was discovered by Vicky Crowder RN, the patient’s registered nurse, who alerted Diana Henry RN, evening supervisor. Ms. Henry worked with AMR Transport Company who agreed to transport Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point’s patient pro bono. A transfer from Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point to Florida Hospital North Pinellas was affected - at no charge to the patient – so that the patient could be with her husband during his final hours.

In a letter to Regional Medical Center Bayonet’s CEO Shayne George, Florida Hospital North Pinellas’s CEO and Chief Clinical/Nursing Officer, Karen Owensby said, “The nursing staff of Florida Hospital North Pinellas would like to recognize the nursing staff of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point…it was the desire of Mrs. Forster to see her husband before he was transferred to hospice and your wonderful nursing staff made that happen by accompanying her to Tarpon Springs…Please extend our greatest appreciation to your nursing staff. We are very proud to call them our colleagues in patient care.”

In a letter from the Forster family to Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, the family acknowledged that as almost always when either was in the hospital, the other would make daily visits. “Nana and Pappy were never separated for more than a day over 60 years of marriage. They were the epitome of living for each other.” Unfortunately while preparing for one of her visits Mrs. Forster suffered an injury requiring paramedics to transport her to Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point. The transfer allowed their Nana “to have her last moments with our Pappy…the sweetest man you’d ever meet. He acknowledged Nana with the squeeze of his hand. Pappy passed away 48 hours later.”

“To all individuals and parties who enabled this to occur we would like to express our deepest gratitude and thanks…that is barely enough. As Nana continues to recover you have demonstrated to us that your actions aren’t based on having the newest or fanciest facility. Neither is it because of a well-worded glossy brochure or other types of advertisements and empty promises. Rather your actions have come from the deepest part of your hearts. Care from the heart…this we will always remember and be grateful. Upon leaving Pappy’s room Nana said to the staff, ‘I can’t believe you did this for me.’ As a family we’d like to say we can’t believe you did this for us,” wrote the Forster family.

Attached photos: Wedding photo of the Forster couple and together during Mr. Forster’s final hours.

About Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point

Regional Medical Center Bayonet has been serving the community since 1981. We are a 290-bed acute care hospital located in Hudson, FL and home of the nationally acclaimed Heart Institute. We have more than 350 physicians, 1,264 employees and 500 volunteers on our integrated healthcare delivery team.

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has achieved distinction in the following areas:

  • Level II Trauma Center
  • Accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care
  • 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 Top Performing Hospital for Key Quality Measures for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, and surgical care - The Joint Commission
  • Certified Advance Primary Stroke Center - Joint Commission
  • 2014 and 2015 Top Performing Hospital for Key Quality Measures for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, VTE and stroke - The Joint Commission
  • Heart & Stroke Champions Award Winner 1998 – 2011
  • MRI, CT, Ultrasound, and Nuclear Medicine Accredited - American College of Radiology
  • Approved Community Cancer Program - American College of Surgeons
  • 5 Joint Commission Disease-Specific Certifications: primary stroke center, acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, joint replacement hip, joint replacement knee
  • Awarded Hospital Safety Score of “A” in SIX consecutive rankings by The Leapfrog Group
  • Recipient of the 2014 American Heart Association (AHA)/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines® Gold Performance Achievement Award in stroke
  • Awarded full Atrial Fibrillation Certification status from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC)
  • Recipient of 2016 Blue Distinction® Center+ Designation for Quality and Cost-Efficiency in Cardiac Care

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point is located at 14000 Fivay Road, Hudson, FL. 34667. For additional information on Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point visit www.rmchealth.com or www.heartoftampa.com or visit us on Facebook.

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