SALISBURY — Novant Health Rowan Medical Center recently received a new patient shuttle that will make it easier for visitors who need extra assistance to reach the hospital’s main building.
The six-person shuttle, which cost $15,000, was donated by Bill Graham, a member of the Novant Health Foundation Rowan Medical Center Board of Directors, and his wife, Shari. It will be used to transport patients and visitors between the hospital’s parking lots and deck, and the main entrance, emergency room and Novant Health Wilson L. Smith Outpatient Center.
Graham offered to purchase the shuttle, which was included in a list of requests to the foundation’s Kiser Grant Fund, after the cost for this year’s requested projects exceeded the available funds.
“We received a lot of requests this year that we needed to fulfill to support our mission of providing remarkable patient care,” Graham said. “While a patient shuttle may seem like an unnecessary luxury, it’s actually a critical need, especially for patients who are on oxygen or are receiving follow-up surgical care.”
Graham said the hospital is committed to making sure care is easy to access with convenient parking and assistance. The shuttle will make patients’ visits a little easier to manage, he said.