At Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital we are very proud of the important role we play in Marengo County and the surrounding areas. On Nov. 16, we will join hospitals nationwide to celebrate National Rural Health Day. It’s a time to recognize the men and women who work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week caring for our community. This year, I hope you will join me in thanking these dedicated hospital employees and volunteers for their dedication and sacrifice.

What does it mean to be a rural hospital in Demopolis, Alabama? It means providing access to high quality healthcare close to home. It means having a place to go when there’s an emergency and every second counts. We treat 11,000 patients every year in our Emergency Room. It means providing job opportunities; our hospital employs over 320 people, making us one of the largest employers in the county. It means economic development; rural hospitals and access to local health care are critical in recruiting businesses to an area.

We are a unique hospital, offering many services that are often overlooked by our community and surrounding counties. Our employees want to provide our surrounding communities with excellent care, lower wait times and less travel. We are fortunate to have a premier Cancer Center that provides outstanding care to those in need. Did you know that you can be tested for sleep apnea at our Sleep Lab? Our Home Health agency provides the services you need at home I For instance, did you know that you can have your echo cardiograms scheduled here and results sent to your physician? Did you know that your blood work and any diagnostic imaging can be done here and results provided to your physician? Our MRI and CT machines are state of the art technology. Our team works closely with in-town and out-of-town physicians so you receive quality results in a timely manner. And now as a member of the UAB Health System, we will continue to meet your healthcare needs with one of the nation’s premier health systems as a partner!

While there are many challenges facing rural hospitals today, our entire health care team is pleased to have served this area for 64 years. During this national recognition day, we not only acknowledge our hard working employees, but also thank the community for its support as we continue to chart our course for the future. We are proud to be a cornerstone of this community, proud to be a major employer, and most of all, proud to provide great health care to our friends and neighbors.

— Arthur D. Evans is the CEO & Administrator at Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital.