Three Rivers board previews $14.8M draft plan for remodel

The Three Rivers Health Board of Trustees looked over draft plans for a potential hospital remodel during a work session portion of their April 15 meeting. The proposed plan would create a dedicated public entry facing the highway to reduce conflicts with emergency room operations at the current entrance, update the air handling system, look to save on energy and maintenance costs and improve the patient experience. 

“This morning, a patient was bleeding in the hallway in front of nurse station on the floor, which I was helping clean up as patients were walking in to go to the clinic,” Chief Executive Officer Joel Jackson informed the board. Right now, the hospital has one patient entrance at the back of the building, with a narrow vehicle entrance from the highway. “Totally inappropriate, and there’s nothing we can do, given the way that we are set up, to change that, and so the way that we care for our community members is inappropriate, and that needs to be the primary focus of why we’re doing this.”

In addition to tackling pedestrian and vehicle traffic issues resulting from the current hospital entrance, the remodel would look to update outdated systems. The old hospital, on the entry side of the facility facing Highway 20, was built in 1956. 

“We’re looking at over 17,000 square feet in the old hospital and over 15,000 in the nursing home that is being underutilized or not utilized at all. And we’re still maintaining those spaces because you can’t just abandon it, it’s connected to the building,” Director of Facility Operations Mark Schlattmann said. 

The old hospital does not have a forced air system and relies on individual window air conditioning units. Schlattmann reported the hospital staff is maintaining three different boiler plants of three different ages, the ones in the old nursing home portion of the facility are original equipment from 1974. 

“You’re inefficiently using your power, right? But you’re also inefficiently using your labor, because you’ve got people maintaining three different systems,” Board Chair Jeff Petty weighed in. 

Gene Kolstad with the Cushing Terrell architecture and engineering company estimated the hospital has 20,000 square feet of corridors, amounting to approximately $80,000 in energy use for that area alone, out of a total around $310,000 annually. Upgrades to air supply and hallway layout could cut that cost down by $100,000 and increase wayfinding for pedestrians, who are currently faced something of a maze. 

The proposed plan utilizes 34,000 square feet of existing space and adds 16,000 new. A dedicated public entry, clinic upgrades and a new sleep area for medical professionals and work area for support staff are included. Parking spots would be upped from 80 to 100. A road looping around the hospital would add an estimated $140,000. In all, the total project estimate presented was $14.8 million, about $550 per square foot in building construction. 

Jackson emphasized that the draft is highly preliminary. In an interview on Tuesday, he relayed that the hospital could look at five different funding sources for the project: savings, local contribution through mill levy funds, grants, the hospital foundation and, “with a question mark,” state and federal funding. Stewardship, patient confidentiality and keeping facilities up to date were listed by board members as reasons to pursue the project. Petty asked that the board be given draft plans to study before further discussion. 

Should the board choose to move forward on the project, there would be opportunities for local input, construction phasing and financial planning before ultimate board approval, anticipated early next year. A preliminary timeline presented put the project out to bid in early 2028, with construction through 2030. Petty asked that local contractors be favored in the bidding process and the board take into consideration the continued use of facilities during potential construction to maintain patient care.

OTHER NEWS

- The hospital board will change its typical meeting schedule, with the next to be held Tuesday, May 19 at 5:30 p.m. 

- TRH is currently working on its audit, with mill levy funds held in reserve until that can be presented, expected within the next month or so. 

- Several new hires were noted, with an emphasis on hiring local employees to save on travel staff costs.