Hospital far from a certainty
By Brad Franklin
May 13, 2008

As one can surmise from our story on page 2, the future of the planned West Creek Medical Center isn’t looking so good from Goochland’s point of view.
The different bodies in charge of the facility’s approval have given indications to HCA that, while they aren’t saying “no,” they may be saying “not right now.”

This hospital is a very big deal, not only for Goochland County but for those to its north, south, east, and west.

Frankly, the facility is important to nearly everyone in the region. It helps add needed services to those west of metro-Richmond. If this type of facility can’t happen in a place like West Creek, with its proximity to both Goochland and Short Pump, among others, then where can it happen?

The future of Goochland County is up for debate on a daily basis. And its direction is at the heart of much of the county’s most intense current work.

With plans for a Comprehensive Plan update, a future for broadband and communications connection taking shape, plans for future school sites and uses, and the continued focus on identifying land for parks and recreation, a hospital is central to any growth the county may experience.

Currently, residents of Goochland have to go somewhere else for such needs, from driving west to Charlottesville or trudging through traffic to points east in Richmond.

I guess maybe I’m just naïve and don’t fully understand how hospitals are planned and approved. But it would seem that all of the pieces here—local government, medical community, business community, etc.—are on board. What else needs to be done?

If the argument is one based on the number of beds in the Richmond area, HCA has already said the 97 beds here would be relocated from another one of its hospitals.

And there’s no doubt that the people of Goochland want this hospital. It doesn’t take long to hear stories of situations where someone’s had to drive into the heart of Richmond for health care and barely made it, leading one to wish things were closer.

So, that begs the question: What can you do?

Well, as residents have been told throughout this very unique and often confusing process, the best thing you can do to help see West Creek Medical Center become a reality is to speak out and make sure your voice is one of those that colors this debate.

Sadly, there are no scheduled public hearings left on the calendar. But what you can do, even in 2008, is write a letter. That correspondence and messages of support will be entered into the record well before the final decision comes down. And it’s expected to actually make a difference.

Taking ownership of one’s community is essentially a full-time job. And it is one of the few areas of our society today where there really are very few shortcuts.

In this decision, have your voice be heard and do your part. And if the chips fall where they may henceforth, we’ll all know we at least tried.

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