Lexington Medical Center Foundation Welcomes New Board Member

WEST COLUMBIA, SC – February 17, 2009 – Lexington Medical Center is pleased to announce that Dr. Randall Suarez is joining the Lexington Medical Center Foundation’s board of directors.

Dr. Suarez is an orthopaedist with Lexington Orthopaedics, a physician practice affiliated with Lexington Medical Center.  His area of expertise includes hip and knee replacement, arthroscopic knee surgery and fracture care. 

Dr. Suarez graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and also completed his orthopaedic residency there.  He is board certified from the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and has more than twenty years of experience practicing in both Greenville and the Midlands.

“Dr. Suarez will be very helpful in our efforts to increase the number of physicians giving to the Lexington Medical Center Foundation,” said Anthony Meyer, vice president of the Lexington Medical Center Foundation. 

The mission of the Lexington Medical Center Foundation is to ensure that quality health services and patient-centered care are available for the people of the Midlands through the development of philanthropic resources on a sustaining and endowment basis.

Dr. Suarez and his wife have three children.  In his spare time, he likes golf, tennis, running and fishing.

About Lexington Medical Center

Lexington Medical Center, in West Columbia, S.C., anchors a county-wide health care network that includes six community medical centers throughout Lexington County.  The network also includes the largest extended care facility in the state, an occupational health center and physician practices.  At its heart is the 384-bed state-of-the-art Lexington Medical Center, with a reputation for the highest quality care.  Lexington Medical Center was voted one of the “Best Places to Work” by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, “Best Hospital” by readers of The State nine years in a row, “Best Hospital” by readers of The Free Times and “Best Place to Have a Baby” by readers of Palmetto Parent.  Visit www.lexmed.com or our blog at www.lexmed.tv.

About the Lexington Medical Center Foundation

The mission of the Lexington Medical Center Foundation is to ensure that quality health services and patient-centered care are available for the people of the Midlands through the development of philanthropic resources on a sustaining basis and endowment basis to support Lexington Medical Center.

Here are some examples of Lexington Medical Center Foundation funded projects.

Women’s Mobile Imaging Unit 
Thanks to a commitment of more than $100,000 from The Lexington Medical Center Foundation, a 41-foot mobile mammography van travels across Lexington County providing on-site mammograms and bone density scans.  Early detection is important.  The van is an important tool in the fight against breast cancer and osteoporosis.

Becky’s Place
Becky’s Place is a boutique specializing in products and services for women with cancer.  Becky’s Place helps women minimize and manage the changes in their appearance resulting from cancer treatment.  Specially trained, caring staff provide assistance to help patients look and feel their best.
Extended Care Memorial Garden
The Foundation provided funding for the design and construction of a memorial garden called “Mama Sue’s Garden” at Carroll Campbell Place, Lexington Medical Center’s facility for people with Alzheimer’s disease.  The garden’s brick walkways, benches, fountain and foliage provide a beautiful place of respite and reflection.
Nursing Scholarships 
The Foundation provides more than $100,000 annually in nursing scholarships for outstanding local nursing students.  After graduation, most of the scholarship recipients join the nursing staff at Lexington Medical Center.  It’s one way to ensure quality care for patients now and in the future.

Partners Program 
The Lexington Medical Center Foundation also reaches out to community young people by funding the Partners Program.  Each summer, Lexington County’s brightest high school students attend a 5-week internship at Lexington Medical Center that covers every aspect of hospital life.  The success of this program shows; 80% of the students who participate choose health care majors in college and 40% of the students return to Lexington Medical Center as employees.

Doula Program
The Lexington Medical Center Foundation funds this nationally recognized program that assists mothers in the delivery process.  A Doula is a birth coach who provides comfort and reassurance during labor.  The program also includes a Beyond Birth component, offering mothers assistance in making the first weeks at home with baby less stressful and more the special event it is supposed to be.  Lexington Medical Center’s doula program is the first of its kind in the Southeast. 

For more information on The Lexington Medical Center Foundation, visit www.lexmed.com.