When looking at AdventHealth Dade City’s chart, there’s a vast improvement.
Formerly known as Florida Hospital Dade City, AdventHealth took over four years ago and has spent $22 million on a major makeover.
The upgrade includes a $2 million expansion now being done to double the capacity of the pre-op and post-op ward, bringing the total to eight bays. That work is expected to be done by the end of the year.
When AdventHealth took over, the former hospital was fading.
Now, the 100-plus bed hospital, at 13100 Fort King Road, has been reinvigorated.
“Over the last four years, what we’ve done at Dade City has been a remarkable accomplishment and certainly transformative,” COO Shade Bedward said.
“When AdventHealth took over four years ago, it certainly was not performing financially, and only had six patients.
“Now, we have over 100 (patients) in house and see over 100 patients a day. The confidence and trust that the community has in us now is a tremendous achievement,” the hospital executive said.
Bedward was promoted on Feb. 27 to chief operating officer of AdventHealth Dade City and AdventHealth Zephyrhills. The latter is now considered a synergized-system sister hospital, a mere 7 ½ miles away, at 7050 Gall Blvd.
Bedward will serve in leadership and director roles at Zephyrhills and will serve as hospital administrator at Dade City.
In Dade City, he will oversee the day-to-day and strategic operations, and report directly to Amanda Maggard, AdventHealth president and CEO.
“Of course there have been a lot of challenges in the past 3 ½ years I’ve been here, but it’s also been a lot of fun work that benefits the community,” Bedward said.
AdventHealth, a faith-based, nonprofit health care system headquartered in Altamonte Springs, operates facilities in nine states.
It hit the ground running once taking over the Dade City location, Bedward said. The hospital was considered as being on its last leg, receiving a C grade from Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade.
Leapfrog is an annual voluntary survey in which hospitals report quality and safety data. It uses 22 evidence-based measures of patient safety, including how well hospitals protect patients from preventable errors, injuries and infections. Leapfrog then calculates a numerical score for all eligible hospitals in the United States, whether or not the hospital reports its data.
Over time, Dade City improved nearly every aspect of its facility, including transition care, which is people staying in the hospital for seven days to 14 days. That is now a five-star ranked unit and the only one ranked that high in East Pasco, Bedward said.
“We’re seeing top-notch quality. Across the board,” he said.
Moving forward, AdventHealth is working on recruiting an improved workforce and also on employee retention.
Those efforts include adequate market pay and benefits, student loans and tuition reimbursements, and company cultural celebrations to show appreciation.
Bedward hopes this inspires employees to stay in Dade City.
AdventHealth Dade City has evidence of its transformative rejuvenation.
It now has an A grade from LeapFrog.
“We focused on quality of care and culture company-wide,” Bedward said. “Guests walk in, and it feels warm and welcoming, and they get a very nice experience,” he said.
While gratified by the hospital’s accomplishments so far, efforts are ongoing, he said.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done. The growth is fast-paced and we plan to continue to keep growing,” Bedward said.
Published April 27, 2022
