Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
To Cut Costs, New Hospital Getting More Of A Stucco Look
Kimball Health Services officials hope the demolition company from Colorado will resume work this week at the new hospital site.
Ken Hunter, CEO of Kimball Health Services, updated the Kimball County Commissioners on Tuesday about operations and provided some general information on the financial situation of the hospital as well as the construction and demolition at the site of the future hospital.
"We had a good year," Hunter said. "We have been in the black for the whole year."
He said the hospital is "continuing to experience all the effects of inflation. It is concerning, but I don't think anything can be done (about it)."
He said the clinic is averaging 3-4 ER patients a day, and the clinic is busy.
Hunter told the board that one part-time doctor had been hired, and they will be adding one more doctor and are looking for a medical director.
In the construction of the new hospital, he said they have experienced a glitch as more asbestos had to be abated.
Also, he said the demolition company from Colorado is experiencing trouble remobilizing. They are hoping everything will be back up and running this week. They anticipate pouring parts of the foundation in July.
In order to cut costs, the exterior of the building will have more stucco instead of the brickwork originally planned.
Hunter also indicated that Kimball Health Clinic is going to revisit its ambulance contract.
The ambulance contract is a three-way agreement with Kimball County, the hospital and Valley Ambulance.
