RUMFORD – Rumford Area Rotary recently heard John Welsh, CEO of Rumford Hospital, talk about the hospital’s future. He covered the building of the consolidated patient wing, which is scheduled to get under way this fall, as well as the benefits of the electronic medical record that also was instituted this fall.

Welsh said the new wing will give patients enhanced privacy, with 16 private rooms and two other rooms that can accommodate one or two patients. With individual temperature controls, a single room will allow space for loved ones to stay overnight.

The electronic medical record enhances patient safety and increases access to accurate and consistent records whenever they are needed, Welsh said.