While many rural communities in Alabama are facing the loss of their local hospitals, Cullman County finds itself in the enviable position of not only having a thriving medical community, but one that is expanding, even in the face of a global pandemic.

In the past year, Cullman Regional Medical Center (CRMC) moved forward with its expansion of the emergency room, adding 30 beds and broke ground on an expansion of its critical care unit in January.

In addition, CRMC opened the Hartselle Health Park, offering services to an area that had few medical services and continues to grow its employed physician group bringing more primary care providers and physician specialists to the community.

“All of our work and investment is centered around providing quality healthcare the North Alabama community can trust and a growing hospital it can be proud of. This is something we are committed to every day,” said CEO James Clements.

It’s not just the size of the facility that’s expanded, CRMC has also added on available treatments. The hospital was part of a pilot program that led the Food and Drug Administration to approve a new technology that allows doctors to scan for brain bleeds and concussions without exposing the patient to radiation. Other technology advances included robotics and imaging, including the 3-D mammography.

The hospital also established two new centers of excellence: orthopedics and spine and bariatric services.

Cullman Regional is not the only medical facility expanding its footprint in Cullman County, however. Hanceville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is adding on a new wing, the Moody Suites, which will provide 72 private rooms for residents.

“We want to be able to provide a really nice accommodation for all our folks,” said Administrator Donna Guthrie.

She said they hope to break ground on the new wing next month.

In addition, the nursing home is adding a gym and providing out-patient rehab services. “This will be great for our folks that come and do their 20 days here for therapy, and if they need a little more they can come here and still have same therapist,” said Guthrie.

The facility, like other nursing homes in Cullman County, has spent the last several years battling the coronavirus that puts their residents at greatest risk. When the vaccinations were approved, Hanceville Nursing and Rehabilitation led the state in the highest percentage of vaccinated staff.

Now, said Guthrie, they’re moving on from the worst of the pandemic.

“We’re looking for the future,” she said. “We know that covid was horrible, but we weathered that storm and we’re looking for brighter days ahead.”

Cullman Regional also weathered the covid storm, taking a proactive approach to treatment and vaccinations. The hospital established a temporary monoclonal antibody treatment clinic for COVID-19 patients and was one of the first 13 hospitals selected by the state to roll out the vaccinations.

“Early on hospital leadership anticipated ways to be proactive and prepared so that we could provide the best care for our community. That forethought led to actionable items like the early acquisition of more refrigeration equipment which enabled the hospital to develop a robust vaccine program,” said Dr. William Smith, chief medical officer. 

The coronavirus is still impacting healthcare, said USA Healthcare CEO Frank Brown, whose company operates three nursing homes, an assisted living facility and psychiatric hospital in Cullman. At the beginning of the pandemic, they began using rooms at the psychiatric hospital as a place to temporarily quarantine new patients to prevent the spread of covid.

The staff within the facilities are still being very careful to protect patients, and he noted that during the last wave of the omicron variant, they had no deaths and far fewer serious illness due to the higher vaccination rate.

But the pandemic took its toll on the staff, including nurses.

“In the 45 years I’ve been in the business, I’ve never known a time when we haven’t had a shortage of good nurses, but this is the worst I’ve ever seen,” he said.

Like others – including CRMC – the company offered loyalty bonuses and sign-on bonuses to recruit and retain staff. They’ve also increased wages – “We’re paying as high as we can right now” – but hopes one of the things that come out of the pandemic is higher federal reimbursement for nurses and nurses’ aides.”

The apprenticeship program, started by the Nursing Home Association, is also helping. “We’ve done a lot to try to work on workforce,” he said. “We’re optimistic but it’s a crisis right now all over the country.”

Going into the pandemic, CRMC also had the support of the community through the Cullman Regional Medical Center Foundation. Through its fundraising efforts, the Foundation was able to provide covid testing equipment to the hospital and a donation of ventilators provided to the hospital prior to the emergence of the coronavirus proved fortuitous. 

“The Foundation board members felt good about having given those,” said Executive Director Maria Stanford.

In the past six months, the Foundation has been able to provide funding for 18 Critical Care Unit beds to support CRMC’s expansion of that unit. 

Stanford credits the strong community support for the success of the fundraising efforts, along with Foundation board members who give their time and energy to supporting CRMC.

“The board members and the service guild members are advocates for the hospital and want to see healthcare excellence in our community,” said Stanford. “They are devoted and dedicated individuals who want to give back to their community because they want the best medical care.”

That community support and the expansion of medical services is important when it comes to recruiting new businesses, said Cullman Economic Development Director Dale Greer.

“Anytime you’re recruiting a new industry that’s bringing people in through new job creation, they’re going to look at what the medical, education, recreation options are,” he said. “That’s when your whole community becomes important because they are looking out for their families. Having a medical center that’s expanding, growing and adding new services is a plus for economic development.”