Baker brings majority leader to Wayne Memorial Hospital

Pileggi gets up close look at rural healthcare

By TOM KANE

HONESDALE, PA - Pennsylvania State Senator Lisa Baker brought the new senate majority leader, Senator Dominic Pileggi, to the Wayne Memorial Hospital to let him become acquainted with the issues faced by a rural hospital.

“It’s really important to have the majority leader of the senate understand the challenges faced by a rural hospital in our state so that the legislature can respond to them successfully,” Baker said.

Senator Pileggi, who represents the Ninth Senatorial District, which includes parts of Chester and Delaware counties outside of Philadelphia, coordinates the legislative agenda for the senate, manages the legislative calendar on the senate floor and plays a key role in floor debates, Baker said.

Issues that were discussed on May 17 were access to health care for county residents, the shortage of healthcare professionals, especially physicians, the need for more nurses and the hospital’s growing challenges in the delivery of health care services.

“We interviewed staff, learned about the hospital’s new technology advances and toured the new emergency wing,” Baker said. “We are fortunate to have such a facility of this caliber in the community.”

“This visit gave the senators an opportunity to see up close a rural health care facility in action,” said David Hoff, executive director of Wayne Memorial. “They saw the strong community support we have from groups and individuals here in Wayne and Pike counties.”

Wayne Memorial Hospital is part of the Wayne Memorial Health System (WMHS), which serves approximately 100,000 people across Wayne and Pike counties, Hoff said.

“WMHS is in the midst of a $22 million capital expansion project and is working around the clock to meet staffing and service challenges in the face of continuing population growth,” he said.