Greene County Medical Center CEO Carl Behne told Raccoon Valley Radio about the building expansion plans for the medical center.
He says the planning stages began in 2008 and there was a three-pronged approach needed to qualify for a USDA loan.  There was community and medical center staff input given, a master plan for the building itself and a financial feasibility study conducted.  GCMC received approval for a $22.5 million loan from the USDA Rural and Development Community Facilities Program with backing from Home State Bank.

The current plans are to expand to the east of the current building.  Behne explains what will be moved and added into the new part of the medical center.

“That’ll be for outpatient services, a new emergency department that is more accessible for patients coming to the ER.  So basically, all of our outpatient services being located in that one specific area to coordinate care for our patients.”

The two main partners with the medical center are HGA Architects from Rochester, Minnesota and Stockton Facility Management Services out of Knoxville, Iowa.  HGA Architects will design the new facility and advise the medical center on what to do with the vacant part where the outpatient services are currently located.  Stockton Facility Management will be the project manager, Behne adds, because the medical center can’t tackle a project of this magnitude by itself.

Behne points out that there’s no set timeline for the start of construction or the completion of the project.  But He says he will continue to receive input from the community and will spread the word of developments as they come.