Ivinson Unveils Name of New Emergency Department

Now, as Ivinson approaches completion of the multi-year project, the new life-saving facility will bear her name, ​“Janey Hampton Evans Emergency Services.”

“This was Janey’s legacy,” John said. ​“She wanted to do something meaningful for the hospital, something that would last. I am very proud to see this project through and to know that Janey’s giving spirit will continue to make an impact in the lives of others.”

Always one to make a lasting impression, Janey is remembered for her kindness and generosity with her time and friendship. Janey was a friend that remembered things big and small, she celebrated each milestone and event in a way that made people feel special.

For John and Janey, that special feeling is what made them feel connected to Ivinson. During Janey’s illness, she spent significant time at the hospital. She was impressed by the kind and compassionate care of the hospital staff on her care team.

“She was always very complimentary and very appreciative of what they did for her,” John said. ​“She wanted to make a significant impact on this place, not for herself, but for the whole community.”

In 2023, John announced his $5 million matching pledge at the Ivinson Memorial Hospital Foundation’s La Grande Fleur fundraiser. This matching gift was instrumental in jumpstarting a capital campaign that drew donations from individuals, businesses and event proceeds. His challenge match was designed to encourage greater giving — and it worked. Combined with state and grant funding, community contributions helped bring the $14 million project to life.

Since the beginning of construction, Ivinson’s emergency department had been operating with 7 functional treatment rooms, limited waiting space and, at times, no ambulance bay. As the project draws to completion, the new facility has a new entrance with a covered drive, a two-bay ambulance garage, a centralized nursing station with line of sight to their new 13 treatment rooms, enhanced safety and isolation capabilities and larger waiting spaces with ability to overflow if needed.

To emergency department staff, the new facility better equips the team when caring for a growing number of patients in need for emergency services. To patients, the improvements make an unwanted emergency room visit a little more welcoming.

For the Ivinson Memorial Hospital Foundation, this transformation reflects not only a leap forward in emergency care but a deeply personal story of generosity and love.

“John’s gift is about more than bricks and mortar, it’s about honoring a life and legacy that meant so much to this community,” said Shannon Polk, Foundation Executive Director. ​“Naming the department after Janey ensures her kindness and spirit live on in a place that saves lives every day.”

The naming of the ​“Janey Hampton Evans Emergency Services” marks the final step in a project that has transformed emergency care in Albany County and left a lasting tribute to a woman remembered for her warmth, grace and desire to give back.

“She was just one of those people who went out of her way to be kind,” John said. ​“This was her wish, to make a lasting difference. And now, she has.”