Clarke County Hospital takes steps for building expansion

Clarke County Hospital may be getting bigger.

The proposed plans are for a new medical office building and emergency department, which is a $22.6 million investment.

The expansion was explained during a media focus-group meeting June 5 at the hospital.

In a statement of need from the hospital, it states, “Clarke County Hospital’s board and administration have identified the need for an infrastructure expansion on the CCH campus to grow and expand services while continuing to provide excellent, personal, compassionate care close to home.”

The hospital intends to pay for the total project in cash, community support and bonds.

Feasibility study

Clarke County Hospital has engaged the Cedar Falls consulting firm of ME&V to help assess a feasibility study of funding assistance for the project.

The feasibility study will help measure the public’s reception to the plan and capital campaign goal of $5 million in five years. The study will also help gauge support in terms of volunteer interest.

A lot of the expansion is driven by the growth of Clarke County Family Medicine, which consists of five practitioners (three physicians and two mid-level practitioners).

Clarke County Family Medicine is actively seeking a fourth physician to meet the needs and demands for healthcare providers in the community.

The practice has outgrown the nine to 10 exam rooms currently utilized and aren’t able to provide for all the patients seeking primary care locally.

With the emergency department, currently, there are only three patient-care rooms. More space is going to be needed.

Architect

During a June 4 Osceola City Council meeting, Sam Beckman, the project’s architect from ACI Boland, shared the “phase one” design plans with the council.

One part of phase one is to add a new parking lot on the east side of the hospital.

“The new parking on the east side of Fillmore is going to be staff parking,” Beckman said.

The new parking lot for staff will create more close parking for patients.

Another part of phase one is reorienting the loading dock so it’s on the main floor of the hospital.

“Today, the loading dock is down in the basement and it has difficult service access down here on the south entry in the basement floor,” Beckman said. “So, we’re going to bring goods and services from the north.”

The project also calls for adding an enlarged generator for emergency power to the hospital.

Dave Leonard, Osceola zoning administrator/building inspector, said the plans have gone through “p and z,” or planning and zoning.

During the meeting, the council approved the hospital moving forward with its design documents and the process of getting the project “out to bid.”

Clarke County Hospital Chief Executive Officer Brian Evans was unavailable for comment.