Master facility plan on Myrtue Medical’s agenda

    HARLAN -- Myrtue Medical Center Board of Trustees has given the go ahead to MMC administration to begin the process of interviewing and selecting architect and engineering firms for the next steps in completing the master facility plan.
    In the next couple of months administration is expected to bring back to the board conceptual drawings/renderings with costs estimates and phasing of the project as well as design/bidding.
Planning on master facility plan began four years ago
    CEO Barry Jacobsen said in 2014, strategic planning involved identifying the need to develop a 10-year master facility plan. In 2016 RDG Planning and Design (Omaha/Des Moines) was engaged to assist with the master facility plan meeting several times with Jacobsen, Chuck Assman, director of facilities at MMC, and senior administration.
    During 2017 RDG Planning and Design facilitated sessions and retreats with department managers, medical staff, board members, senior administration and the building and grounds committee.
    In 2018 facility weaknesses were identified: future clinic space for family practice physician and/or specialty physicians, future Behavioral Health Facilities needed and outdated pharmacy along with new United States Pharmacopeia regulations prior to December 1, 2019; future OB/GYN clinic, future in-house MRI, emergency department security, workflow, and additional treatment room, north patient visitors’ entrance aesthetics improvements: patient waiting area, space for meditation/chapel, space for patient family counseling, additional space for inpatient rehab, cafeteria/food service prep and kitchen and physical plant improvements and under floor sanitary sewer improvements in original hospital building.    
    Jacobsen highlighted the $16 million construction project which began in 2011 and ended in 2013. Jacobsen said current debt remaining on the project of $5.4 million is expected to be paid off in January 2024. The project included new space or renovation completed in surgery, outpatient specialty clinics, diagnostic imaging, laboratory, obstetrics, business office/administration/conference rooms, sleep study rooms and respiratory therapy.