Dunlap Community Hospital

A core belief behind the mission of Dunlap Community Hospital is respect and dignity of all patients and their families. The hospital exists for the patients and for the residents of the communities in eastern Wayne County. Members of the DCH Board of Trustees base their decisions upon the needs and concerns of those affected by the hospital. They exercise prudence not only in taking steps to maintain and improve the patient experience, but to ensure Dunlap remains viable to serve future generations.

This is one reason DCH has taken steps to ensure its independence while providing top-quality service to the people of the region. One measure has been to align itself with other independent, non-profit hospitals in the area through the Independent Hospital Network. Other members include Alliance Community Hospital, Aultman Hospital, Pomerene Hospital and Union Hospital. DCH has also joined Alliance, Union and Pomerene to form the Northeast Ohio Health Outreach Network. Through this cooperative effort, DCH operates a fully functional mobile medical unit that serves small communities through the region with health screenings, educational programs and occupational and preventative services.

With the future in mind, the hospital has completed major renovations and expansions which include renovations to the first and second floors of the hospital as well as a new 25,000 square foot expansion.

The expansion and renovation project included:

• New Emergency Room – the number of patients treated in the ER during the last decade has increased significantly. The expansion enables the hospital to better handle this increased growth and to provide increased privacy for patients. It allows for better monitoring of patients being admitted as well as meeting current building codes (which require an isolation room with a separate public entrance).
• New Radiology Center – Radiology is the hospital’s largest-growing service. Additional imaging rooms will meet growing demand. Patient privacy is improved, and they are able to dress and undress without walking across a long hallway. The redesign brings all personnel and services together, rather than having them spread out around the hospital. Since the last renovation, Dunlap has added several modalities of imaging.
• Physical Therapy (PT) – A modern physical therapy service area combines the rehabilitation services into a single area. These services are easily accessible for all patients. As outpatient services have grown, so have the need for rehabilitation services. The old PT facilities were extremely inadequate.
• OB will now offer single-room maternity care for Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Post-Partem (LDRP) – This is extremely important. Indeed, these private rooms are what women and their families expect in today’s health-care environment. If women cannot have privacy at their local community hospital, they often choose to go elsewhere. The new rooms provide the perfect environment for physician to work.

In addition to this comprehensive project, DCH is planning the construction of a new medical office building on the campus to provide additional space for the hospital’s expanding physician’s and specialists’ practices. These plans, combined with the hospital’s capital objectives, will position DCH and the Orrville community as a center for the preferred choice of local, family-centered health care in this region.

Today, many hospitals are struggling to address the growing demand of outpatient services amidst hospital infrastructures designed for inpatient use. Ten years ago, the leaders of DCH had the foresight to confront this problem head-on. Thanks to the community’s support, Dunlap continues to provide high-quality outpatient care (75 percent of all services provided).

The renovations described above take these improvements to the next level, improving not just patient care, but the patients’ experience. Less waiting time, a more home-like environment and private rooms all focus on the patient’s experience and improve the capacity for healing and wellness.