An expansion project for the Russell County Hospital is coming closer to fruition as proposed plans were discussed at a special called meeting of the Hospital Board last Tuesday night.

If the full plan were to be implemented, an additional nearly 47,000 square ft. of space would be added to the hospital, effectively doubling its current size. Additionally, the project would involve major remodeling of 31,500 square ft. of the existing facility.

Kyle Wilson and Ernie Dreher of The Estopinal Group, the architectural, engineering, and interior design group contracted by the board to develop the expansion, presented the board and approximately 40 others who had gathered to discuss the project with different options for expansion.

Cost estimates for the project ran from approximately $11-$12 million for a much reduced space expansion and remodeling to a high of over $21-$23 million for the complete package.

Among the proposed changes include a much needed expansion of strategic placement of radiology, along with expanded and improved emergency room, laboratory and surgery.

“It’s a matter of finding that sweet spot,” said Wilson. “It’s a balance of finding the right spot that serves the hospital to make it efficient for the next 20, 30, 40 years,” adding, “you don’t want to be short-sighted and build toward a small project that doesn’t serve you and 10 years from now you’re having to go through this process again.”

Many in the local health care profession were in attendance at the meeting and leaned toward looking at some of the more extensive expansion proposals with an eye toward meeting growing needs of the community.

“There’s a concern that $15 to $21 million is a heck of a lot of money,” said Dr. Rick Miles. “But I also think if you don’t grow, you die. And I’ve sat here for 33 years and watched Taylor County grow and grow and grow, and we’ve not moved on.”

Dr. Miles went on to express that the opportunity exists to expand professional hospital staff and patient load due to unhappiness and concerns in hospitals in nearby areas.

Board Chairman Chris McQueary leaned toward expanding in stages, acknowledging that meeting the needs of the health care professionals was a priority at the same time.

“I guess from my view I like the phase option,” McQueary said.

“We talk about we need to recruit, and I agree, but we’ve not shown in the past that we can do that. If we do it in stages, get things in here, and then recruit these people, then we can go to the next phase of expansion.”

The expansion project, under serious consideration for the last couple of years, became a viable option recently with the approval of loans through the USDA Communities Facilities program, a program that offers financial assistance for rural health care facilities and essential equipment.

Russell County Hospital is a “critical access hospital” which qualifies it to receive cost-based reimbursements from Medicare. This classification means that much of the expansion will be reimbursed to the hospital over time.

The figures mentioned at the meeting was 35 percent that the hospital would have to come up with and approximately 65 percent coming from reimbursements through the program.