Franciscan Alliance dedicated its new Emergency Center in Chesterton on March 8, 2012 with a blessing performed by Most Reverend Dale J. Melczek, Bishop of the Diocese of Gary.
The new building, located just off Indiana Boundary Road in Chesterton, was filled with physicians, nurses, police officers, firemen and emergency medical technicians. Among those in attendance included Ken Sink and Tom Bettenhausen from Superior Ambulance Service, along with Chief Mike Orlich and Nate Williams from the Chesterton Fire Department.
James T. Callaghan III, President of Franciscan St. Anthony Health, opened up the ceremonies by thanking everyone who collaborated for the years of foresight and planning that made, as he described the facility, “a dream come true.”
Callaghan explained Franciscan Alliance is a faith-based, non-profit organization with thousands of physicians, includes over 18,000 employees, and has been based in Indiana for over 100 years. He said, “We have a reputation of excellence and we will continue to grow here in Indiana.”
This new emergency center is a new one-of-a-kind facility for Northwest Indiana. Franciscan St. Anthony Health-Chesterton Health Center will open for business on March 19 and will be open 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. It will include state-of-the-art care, including an on-site laboratory, magnetic resonance imaging and CT equipment, along with primary care specialty suites.
Brenda Rogers, RN, BSN, Director of Emergency Services, said the journey began in 2009 by asking the people of Chesterton what they wanted. With the customers’ needs being the focus, the vision became, as Rogers explained, “The highest quality care that the people have been waiting for.” With shorter wait times and access to care, all services will be focused on the patient.
During his blessing, Reverend Melczek said, “Today, in this blessing ceremony, we gather to give thanks for the Chesterton Health and Emergency Center, and to also recommit ourselves to the ministry of healing.”
The new Emergency Center will only be staffed with board certified emergency medical physicians including: Easa Ghoreishi, M.D. (Family Medicine), Heather J. Gillespie M.D., (Rheumatology and Internal Medicine), J.R. Gandra, MD (Pediatrics), Tom N. Galouzis, M.D. (Surgery), Bikash Agarwal M.D., F.A.C.P., C.M.D. (Internal Medicine), Saira P. Rana M.D. (Obstetrics and Gynecology), George J. Grcevich, M.D. (Cardiovascular Disease and Internal Medicine), Neel P. Jain, M.D. (Orthopedic Surgeon), Eugene Lyubashevsky, M.D. (Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology), Manana Gegeshidze, M.D. (Psychiatry), Krista Molina, M.D. (Family Medicine), Alex Moline, M.D. (Family Medicine) and Michael J. Messina, M.D. (Obstetrics and Gynecology).
Franciscan St. Anthony Health-Chesterton Health Center promises to provide the highest quality health care with shorter wait times and a staff of caring individuals, with the patients being the focus of the quality of care given.
To learn more about the official Open House for the facility, taking place Sunday, March 11th, click here.