Artesian Water Company has contributed $100,000 to Christiana Care’s Middletown Emergency Department for two specialized technology systems.
The systems quickly and effectively rule out or identify a blood clot or flu virus, enabling clinical staff to more efficiently undertake the appropriate treatment.
“Without this technology, we’d have to transport specimens from the Middletown Emergency Department to Christiana Care’s Christiana Hospital for testing,” said Cheryl Katz, vice president of Pathology and Laboratory Services at Christiana Care. “Instead of driving specimens more than 20 miles away, we walk them across the hall, drastically improving our ability for patients to receive treatments sooner.”
Since opening in 2013, Christiana Care Health System’s Middletown Emergency Department has provided emergency services close to home for the residents of Delaware’s Southern New Castle and Northern Kent counties.
The 36,500-square-foot freestanding facility has brought 24/7 emergency care to the growing area of about 86,000 residents. Patients and their families previously faced an approximately 25-minute drive from the Middletown area to the nearest emergency room.
“We are partners in this community, helping to better the lives of those we serve, and I am pleased that we can contribute to the health and well-being of our neighbors,” said Dian C. Taylor, CEO of Artesian Water Company and a Christiana Care Trustee. Artesian Water provides water services throughout the Delmarva Peninsula.
When planning the Middletown Emergency Department, Christiana Care expected to treat about 35 patients per day. But the center has been even busier, with an average of 60 visits a day. “Several D-dimer tests are conducted each day. And in flu season, as many as 10 PCR tests are performed each day,” said Katz.
“Emergency medicine is an essential part of any community; the public depends on us around the clock,” said Charles L. Reese, IV, M.D., chair of Christiana Care’s Department of Emergency Medicine. “When we have community support, like Artesian’s philanthropy, we are better able to do our job of keeping people healthy and well. We are grateful for the gift and for Artesian’s trust in the Middletown Emergency Department to be good neighbors.”
