Living Jackson Magazine : BJC Medical Center - Taking Care of Jackson County

BJC Medical Center

Taking Care of Business in Jackson County

by Joshua T. Bennett

Big time healthcare…small town heart—that’s BJC Medical Center’s philosophy and one the staff has been living up to for the past 47 years.

Established in 1960, Banks-Jackson-Commerce Medical Center was founded by a group of concerned citizens to establish, build, maintain, manage and operate a hospital and nursing facility for the general welfare of the citizens of Banks and Jackson counties, the City of Commerce and other surrounding communities. It was located just outside the business district of Commerce, but now both residential and commercial growth have reached the medical center and indeed have gone beyond it.

Today, state-of-the-art medical equipment, prime geographical location and a friendly, knowledgeable staff are at the base of this company’s success and longevity.

“BJC, in its beginning, brought medical care close to rural Jackson County, serving a real need,” said Jackson County Board of Commissioners Chair Pat Bell. “It continues to fill that need as it has continued to grow and expand.”

BJCMC brings jobs to more than 420 people. Board certified physicians with varying specialties; nurses; licensed/certified technologists, whose precision and attentiveness to detail aid in successful outcomes; and administrators keep the 90-bed hospital running smoothly. Members of the staff are united under their creed, “State of the Heart Healthcare,” and work together to provide modern, patient-driven healthcare.

In addition to the hospital, this staff operates the BJCMC Nursing Facility and Wellness Center.

BJCMC’s location has also played an important role in its achievement as a leading healthcare facility. With a service area straddling the industrious I-85 corridor, and close proximity to Athens, the University of Georgia and north Atlanta, BJCMC caters to a growing community still desiring small town care and compassion.

The Hospital
BJCMC is a fully accredited hospital by the Joint Commission on Accredited Healthcare. Services offered at the hospital include a 24-hour emergency care, inpatient hospital care, intensive care, surgery, obstetrics, radiology, clinical laboratory, cardiac rehabilitation, respiratory, physical therapy, out-patient surgery, medical clinics and healthcare education.

Being a small town hospital doesn’t stop BJCMC from providing cutting-edge technology to its patients. With heavy investment in the latest laparoscopic surgical technologies, BJCMC can now accommodate more than 150 inpatient surgeries a month and the new outpatient surgical unit can perform an additional 160 procedures each month in general surgery, orthopedics, urology, podiatry, ophthalmology and gynecology. This investment in technology spans to many additional areas of the facility, which includes the Radiology Department. The recent addition of the PACS, Picture Archive and Communication System, and the Digital Radiology and Fluroscopy X-ray System allow the images to be stored digitally which virtually eliminates the need for X-ray film processing and storage.

In addition to residents of Banks and Jackson counties, the hospital serves as a healthcare provider to travelers in emergency situations. That has become a vital role for the hospital since I-85 and Hwy. 441 have become ever-growing corridors for rapidly moving traffic that sometimes has accidents.

“The care and concern shown to my wife and me was above and beyond expectations,” said Robert Wade, a traveler whose frightening situation was made into a “pleasant and most comforting time” at BJCMC.

Extended Care
The BJCMC Nursing Facility has been in operation since 1968, and it consists of five nursing units with 167 Medicaid and Medicare certified beds. The staff’s focus is on providing compassionate care for residents physically, emotionally and spiritually.

According to BJCMC Director of Community Relations, Henry Slocum, the nursing facility is almost always at full capacity.

Qualified nursing personnel provide residents care 24 hours a day. In addition, BJC has a dietitian to help the residents make healthy food choices, and physical and speech therapists are available for patients requiring rehabilitation after surgery, illness or injury.

Since the BJCMC Nursing Facility is located in the same building as the hospital, the residents can receive in-house many services not normally associated with other nursing facilities in the area. When residents need emergency or diagnostic services such as an X-ray, they simply take a trip “down the hall,” as opposed to across town.

A unique aspect of the BJCMC Nursing Facility is the programming provided for its residents. Volunteers from the community and staff provide crafts, Bible studies, mail reading, fingernail painting and numerous other activities to enhance the residents’ quality of life.

Wellness
BJCMC’s commitment to creating a fit community, with an emphasis on wellness and prevention, gave birth to the 4,500-square-foot Wellness Center, which serves as the area’s only hospital based health club. Strength training and cardio equipment, such as treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, free weights, dumbbells and more are available to members. The center offers 24-hour access to all active members. Also offered on a weekly basis are several classes: yoga, stretch and tone, circuit training, body sculpting, Pilates, aerobics and post-rehab are available.

BJCMC has not only made a lasting impression on its patients, but also on the economy of Banks and Jackson counties.

“With over 420 employees, BJC is one of the larger employers in Jackson County and northeast Georgia. It isn’t just the large number of jobs though, but the quality of those jobs and the citizens that perform them, from doctors, nurses, licensed/certified medical technicians to hospital administration—all providing incredibly important health services to our community,” said Pepe Cummings, Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce president.

Jackson County’s schools also benefit from BJCMC’s presence in the community.

“Beyond their direct activities, BJC is involved in all of our school systems as a partner to address work force development and education needs throughout their market and service area,” said Cummings. Jackson County, Jefferson City and Commerce City school nurses are also provided through BJC.

The community is involved with BJC in other ways, too.

By providing the instructor, BJC Medical Center has been instrumental in the opening of Lanier Tech’s LPN Program at its Commerce Campus. In previous years, Lanier Tech offered evening classes to individuals aspiring to become Licensed Practical Nurses; however, by BJCMC providing the instructor, Jo Totherow, RN, BSN, Lanier Tech now offers day classes as well. As part of the course, the students complete their clinical practicum on BJCMC’s medical floor and in the nursing facility.

Organized in 1977, the BJCMC Auxiliary is a group of men and women devoted to help make the facility a special place. Donations from this group include automatic doors for the hospital and nursing facility, wheelchairs, curtains for the intensive care unit and nursing facility and medical equipment.

It’s obvious BJCMC has made an imprint on Jackson County and its inhabitants.

“At a time when many hospitals are experiencing financial hardships, and communities across the nation struggle with access to quality health care as a result, Jackson County is truly blessed by the presence of BJC,” said Cummings.