Professionalism, compassion and care beyond compare
Years ago, when Cliff Meredith was a boy, he came to Rehoboth Beach and stayed with his aunt at her home on Delaware Avenue. For so many of us, heartwarming memories from our childhood are what drive us to return every summer, excited to make new memories with our families and friends. Nowadays, Cliff and his wife, Jeanie, like to visit the beach in late summer and early fall. They enjoy staying at the beautiful Bellmoor Inn and dining at restaurants around town.
When you really get to know a town because you visit it year after year, you begin to develop favorites. You know what I mean. We all have our favorite beach, our favorite shops and our favorite restaurants. They are the places and the people you know you can trust because they consistently provide excellent service and quality.
Last year the Merediths added a new favorite to their list - Beebe Healthcare's Emergency Department. It is a place they had never visited before, and as you would expect, they were actually very happy they hadn't. But that changed one evening last summer when Jeanie slipped and fell, hit her head and was knocked unconscious. Cliff immediately called the front desk and 911 because Jeanie was bleeding from the back of her head. The night manager helped direct the paramedics to their room, and within minutes Jeanie and Cliff were in an ambulance on their way to Beebe.
Cliff shared his heartfelt feelings with me. "You never want to be in this position, needing emergency care, especially for someone you dearly love. The professionalism, the compassion, the care we experienced at Beebe was beyond compare. Jay Wingate was our nurse in the Emergency Department. Jay was right there by our side, every second of the way. Jeanie had a physical injury, and her care was Jay's priority, but I was traumatized also. I was in deep emotional pain. Jay could see this, and he comforted me, too, but in a different way. I remember Jay looking right at me and saying, 'Cliff, everything is going to be fine; you don't have to worry.'
"Dr. Kevin Eanes was our physician. Kevin was very matter-of-fact, and at the same time so very calming and reassuring. It was his deep caring and compassion that stood out the most."
Jeanie shared her feelings about their experience too. "They were a blessing, an absolute blessing. Dr. Kevin Eanes and nurse Jay Wingate took such good care of me physically, and they cared for Cliff emotionally. They both did such a wonderful job. We could not have gotten any better care than the care we received at Beebe."
Beebe's Emergency Department has evolved over the years to become a top-notch Level III Trauma Center in the State of Delaware and has positioned itself well to provide services to a thriving beach and vacation resort area and a continually growing year-round population. Beebe Healthcare is very proud of the Emergency Department's customer satisfaction scores from Press Ganey.
Each year, the Beebe Medical Foundation hosts the biggest party of the summer, the Beebe Beach Bash! Beebe's guests this year will take over a docked Cape May-Lewes Ferry Saturday, June 2, to enjoy The Fabulous Greaseband, dancing, dining, auctions, and boardwalk games.
Consider joining the party to help to raise funds for Beebe Healthcare's Emergency Department in Lewes, and to also support the construction of a new freestanding Emergency Department in Millville. For more information and to purchase tickets for the Beebe Beach Bash, call 302-644-2900 or go to www.beebemedicalfoundation.org.
