Published: October 28, 2008 12:22 am      

Healthplex to open mid December

FGH health expo set for Friday at mall

FAIRMONT — Fairmont General Hospital’s new medical fitness center at the Middletown Mall should open Dec. 15, hospital officials said.

Contractors have repaired damage to sections of the three-story building which were affected by a Sept. 5 fire, FGH President Albert Pilkington III said.

“We’re a couple weeks past the restoration part and we’re looking at being in there by Dec. 15,” Pilkington said Monday.

“I have to take my hat off to all of the guys on all of the construction crews,” for their hard work on the $13 million Healthplex Fitness Center building, he said.

The fire, which an assistant state fire marshal and police said was deliberately set, ruined plans for an Oct. 21 opening of the center. An initial estimate placed the fire damage at $1.5 million. No arrests have been made yet.

But about 950 memberships have been sold, Pilkington told the hospital’s board of directors. When the center opens, he expects the number of memberships to climb.

With more than 50,000 square feet of space, the center will also house a number of the hospital’s outpatient departments. The facility will host the departments of occupational therapy, physical therapy and cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation.

The medical fitness center will have a three-lane lap pool, a heated therapy pool and a large workout area. The building will also have a pharmacy.

In other developments, Kim Cheuvront, the hospital’s vice president for business and operations development, said FGH’s annual “Health Expo” at the mall will likely attract over 1,000 residents.

A total of 37 vendors will be on hand, Cheuvront said.

The 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday event will feature more than 18 individual health tests and screenings. Flu shots will also be available beginning at 9 a.m. for $20 each. The flu shot is free for those on Medicare.

The free screenings will include exams for: Skin cancer, body fat, spinal stability and nervous system functioning, bone density, blood pressure, blood sugar, carpal tunnel, balance, cholesterol, depression, anxiety and breathing/lung capacity. Pre-screens will be offered for sleep studies. There also will be an antioxidant scanner and leg vein disease screening.

FGH will also be offering its popular multiphasic blood lab tests. The test costs $30. The blood drawing will start at 7 a.m. and end at 11 a.m. Those taking the test must fast 12 hours beforehand.

An electrocardiogram screening for heart arrhythmia by Dr. David Tingler, an FGH cardiologist, has already been filled by pre-registration.

In addition, kidney disease screenings will be offered by Dr. Nabil Guirgus, a nephrologist on the FGH staff.

E-mail Bill Byrd at bbyrd@timeswv.com