The Mineral Community Hospital is looking at expanding services and building a new building projected to cost $15 million. The funding for this project is still up in the air, but have been looking at several grants and low interest loans.

NEED

Once you walk through the existing facility you will see why they need a new hospital. The building is literally falling down around them. The maintenance staff has done an admirable job of keeping the heating system functioning and doing their best to keep up with issues, but are losing ground quickly.

PROJECT

What I know of the project at this point is that they are wanting to build a 50,000 sf building that is detached from the existing hospital and would be constructed to the open lot to the East. The existing building would be retro-fitted to possibly be a teaching hospital or something like that. There was talk at one time of selling the existing hospital to an outside company for manufacturing. They would be following the guidelines of a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) which gives them federal monies for day to day operations.

ISSUES

In a small town, with the current economy, the biggest issue is funding. As some may know, maneuvering through the grant process can be downright disheartening at times. Another issue is just getting the project moving ahead and figuring out what the next step needs to be. From what I know, the hospital is keeping the board busy making decisions. It does seem like a slow process but they are making headway.