Perkins County Health Services and USDA Rural Development, along with other partners instrumental to the project, broke ground today for the expansion and renovation of Perkins County Health Services.
USDA Rural Development awarded $10.1 million to the Perkins County Health Services Agency under their Community Facilities Direct Loan Program. The funds, leveraged with $4 million from two local lenders and more than $1.3 million from the hospital’s own funds, will complete the project.
“USDA is pleased to be assisting Perkins County Hospital with their expansion and remodeling goals. We believe that access to healthcare is the center of our rural communities and we are pleased to assist Perkins County and the surrounding area,” said Community Programs Specialist Natalie Furrow, USDA Rural Development.
"Our vision is to ‘Provide an appropriate health care delivery system to meet the needs of the residents of Perkins County and the surrounding areas. Our Mission is to ‘Provide Excellence In Care …for Life,' said CEO Jim LeBrun, Perkins County Health Services.
The $15.4 million expansion and renovation project includes new construction of 28,884 square feet, renovation of approximately 2,000 square feet, and installation of a new Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system in the current hospital and ancillary services areas.
The project includes a new 20 bed Critical Access Hospital with all Private Rooms, two Labor Delivery and Post-Partum Rooms, an Endoscopy Suite, and a new Emergency Department adjacent to existing Radiology Diagnostic services. New space will be constructed for several departments including Physical Therapy, Information Technology, and Cardiac Rehabilitation.
A new Chapel will be built between Golden Ours Convalescent Center and Perkins County Community Hospital. Current space for the Laboratory will be renovated, one half of current space for Physical Therapy will be remodeled for Laboratory and the other one half will be remodeled for Grant Medical Clinic. This project will also replace all of the older HVAC. The current hospital will be remodeled in the future to provide replacement office space for the Business Office, Foundation, Quality Improvement, Human Resources, and Payroll.
Perkins County Health Services supports the region’s economy by providing jobs and benefits for 200 plus employees who have been providing quality health care services at Perkins County Hospital, Grant Medical Clinic, Golden Ours Convalescent Home, Parkridge Assisted Living, Hi Line Home Health, and Hugs-n-Teddy Bears Daycare for more than 50 years.
“Adams Bank and Trust is pleased to be part of the Perkins County Hospital expansion project. Perkins County Hospital is a leading provider of health services for southwestern Nebraska and a major employer for Perkins County. The expansion project will continue its leadership in providing outstanding health services and create the efficiencies needed to compete in this competitive industry currently and into the future. Again, we are pleased to be in a position to meet the financial needs of our community and especially the needs of Perkins County Health Services which is such an integral part of our region,” said Regional Senior Banker John Woodmancy of Adams Bank and Trust.
Market Manager and Senior Vice President of Valley Bank Donald W. Softley said, “Valley Bank is pleased and honored to serve as a partner in the forthcoming Perkins County Hospital project. The Perkins County Hospital is an economic stalwart in southwest Nebraska with a significantly stable medical clientele. It has become obviously paramount that the strategic evaluation and rationalization of the future medical needs of this region became the driving force behind this expansion project." Softley continued, "Valley Bank and Trust is impressed with the positive working relationship with Adams Bank and USDA in this endeavor."
For more information on the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program contact Natalie Furrow at 308-534-2360 ext. 1129 or Natalie.furrow@ne.usda.gov.
President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America’s economy, small towns and rural communities. USDA’s investments in rural communities support the rural way of life that stands as the backbone of our American values.