Bayhealth hospital’s story of need dates back to 1927

By Andrew West

DOVER — Some notes and quotes between headlines and deadlines ...

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Thanks to Terry Murphy, president and CEO of Bayhealth, for taking the time last week to share the current efforts and progress ahead.

Population growth, particularly of those older than 65, are indeed having a big impact on Kent and Sussex counties.

We were reporting on the upward expansion of the hospital at Bayhealth’s Kent Campus years ago, when its administration said four floors were planned. The top floor was left open, with future expansion in mind.

It is incredible to think that 10 floors total may be there soon. It will become the tallest building in downtown Dover.

At 10 stories, it would equal the hotel at Bally’s Dover (formerly Dover Downs).

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Hearing about the growth of Bayhealth, it reminded me of a story that the late Tom Eldred wrote about Kent General Hospital in 1999. It recounted the history of the hospital and how it grew over the years.

Dr. Joseph McDaniel and his Dover Rotary Club championed the construction of the facility.

Dr. Joe’s son, William McDaniel, told Mr. Eldred how a tragic accident heightened discussion about the need for the hospital. A hunter, “Doll” Richardson, was injured in a trapshooting accident. With no local hospital, the man was rushed to Wilmington, but he didn’t make it.

The hospital opened in October 1927, three years after the Rotary’s initiative began.
During its first year, 583 patients were admitted, and 169 were treated in the dispensary.

“The new hospital rapidly gained the support and confidence of the community, and the number of admissions increased steadily each year, even during the depression,” Mr. Eldred wrote. “Less than a decade after opening, an adjoining residence was purchased because of the need for more space.

“By 1937, annual admissions had more than doubled from the hospital’s starting year, and it was necessary to rearrange and improve the use of space in order to meet the growing demand for care.”

By 1948, it had grown into a 93-bed location.

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Sunday marks the beginning of a new era for our newspaper.

All home delivery subscribers will be getting this delivered to their mailboxes. Going forward, the U.S. Postal Service will bring three printed editions each week — Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

We will continue producing an e-newspaper seven days a week.

We hope all home delivery customers have taken the time to register their accounts for full access to BaytoBayNews.com and the e-newspapers.

Since we announced our changes, we have noticed a significant increase in e-newspaper logins. We can also tell that the Jumble and “Pickles” are favorite features that readers enjoy in print and online.

As this editor found some years ago, the e-newspaper is reliable and easy to use. Enlarging the type or photos has been helpful to these tired eyes.

We encourage you to poke around the various icons in the e-newspaper, too. There is a “speaker” icon you can click to have a story read to you.

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High school and college football fans will enjoy the “Sports Extra” with Sunday’s e-newspaper.

We are planning additional pages to share stories and photos from the high school tournament, and the first round of the college football playoffs. The University of Delaware played Lafayette on Saturday.

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There was a local connection to the Eagles-Chiefs “Monday Night Football” telecast.

Working the sidelines for ABC was Lisa Salters, niece of former Dover City Councilman Reuben Salters.

Ms. Salters, who grew up in Pennsylvania and attended Penn State University, has been a sideline reporter for several years.

It was interesting to hear her reaction to news about Amazon Prime’s “Thursday Night Football” anchor Charissa Thompson’s admission of making up quotes when she was a sideline reporter.

“Shocked. Disappointed. Disgusted. What we heard today called all sideline reporters into question,” Ms. Salters posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Trust and credibility. They mean everything to a journalist. To violate either one — in any way — not only makes a mockery of the profession, but is a disservice to players, coaches, and most importantly, to fans.”

Andrew West is editor-in-chief of the Daily State News.