Health Care Access in Asheville is Top Notch Tuesday, 20th May 2008, 4:45pm

It’s good to know that one of the nation’s leading heart hospitals is right here in Western North Carolina, at Mission Hospital. Mission Hospital is about a 40-minute drive from Whisper Mountain, and located in the heart of Asheville.

Mission is Known in Western North Carolina and Beyond

Mission Hospital is not just known in Western North Carolina, but is nationally recognized. The Heart Services department of Mission http://missionhospitals.org/body.cfm?id=64&oTopID=11 was voted one of the Top 100 best heart hospitals in the nation in 2007 by Thomson. This distinguished award was given to Mission Hospital’s Heart Services for overall outcomes for congestive heart failure, heart attacks, bypass surgery, angioplasties, and other coronary problems.

Mission Hospital Orthopedics: Best in the North Carolina Mountains

Mission is a widely renowned health care leader in Orthopedics http://missionhospitals.org/body.cfm?id=100&oTopID=11 as well. In 2006, U.S. News and World Report selected Mission Hospital as one of the top 50 Orthopedics hospitals. Many factors were taken into consideration, including death rates, Medicare discharges, complex procedures, number of nurses to patients, technology, and quality of care. The orthopedic nurses and physician staff agreed that teamwork had a great deal to do with the U.S. News and World Report ranking.

Patients treated at Mission Hospital remark on the quality of care, the professionalism of staff, and the facilities. In addition, there are a multitude of other health care resources surrounding the Mission Hospital district in Asheville, including dentists, women’s health care, chiropractors, dermatologists, cancer treatment, and more.

Asheville North Carolina: A Health Care Hub

Because Asheville is one of the largest cities in the Western North Carolina area, it is a hub for health care services. Many who live in the rural mountain communities surrounding Asheville rely upon Mission Hospital for high quality health care.

Southern Living Green Idea House Proceeds Benefit Mission Children’s Hospital

Whisper Mountain has a special relationship with Mission Hospital. From June 21 to October 12, 2008 the Southern Living Green Idea House http://www.whispermountainnc.com/homes.php#ideahome will be open to the public for interpretive tours. The admission fee will be $5. A portion of the proceeds from the Green Idea House tour will be donated to Mission Children’s Hospital http://www.missionhospitals.org/home_foundation.cfm?id=480&fr=true . Fifty percent of the proceeds from the Green Idea House will benefit children in need of health care. Volunteers from the Mission Hospital Foundation will greet visitors at the Green Idea House while it is open to the public.

The Southern Living Green Idea House http://www.whispermountainnc.com/homes.php#ideahome demonstrates home energy conservation. Solar panels, radiant heated floors, and a gray water system are some of the elements of green building technology that went into the Idea House. The three-bedroom 4 bath Green Idea House includes a separate barn with a two-car garage and a guesthouse. Southern architecture, interior design, and landscaping techniques are all incorporated into the Green Idea house.

Whisper Mountain Provides a Heli-Pad for Medical Emergencies

There are times when every second counts, and that’s during a medical emergency. Whisper Mountain has a heli-pad available for community use, should someone need immediate assistance. Once the helicopter is dispatched and airborne, the trip to Mission Hospital takes about 7-8 minutes by air.

The heli-pad is a great addition to Whisper Mountain because it provides peace of mind to residents and their guests. If a medical emergency should arise, the community has the heli-pad in place for faster transfer to one of the nation’s leading healthcare facilities.

In fact, Mission Hospital just did a survey among new residents and having emergency air transport was high on everyone's list. Mission Hospital offers a service called MAMA - Mountain Area Medical Airlift. (See photo).