HARTFORD, Ky. — Last Friday, Ohio County Healthcare closed on the financing for the construction of its new operating room replacement wing. OCH, in cooperation with the Ohio County Fiscal Court, has arranged financing through the rural development office of the United States Department of Agriculture. Funding of over $20 million dollars will be used for the construction of the new surgical wing, renovation of the vacated space within the hospital, procurement of new equipment and technology, and reduction of existing debt.
The 27,000 square-foot addition will adjoin the hospital, crossing what is currently White Avenue. The facility will be built on a one-acre plot bordered by Gillespie St. and McMurtry Ave. The new surgical department will include three operating rooms, three procedure rooms, a pre-and post-operative care unit, and a walkway connecting it to the existing hospital structure.
For enhanced convenience, patients will register for surgical procedures at this location which also includes a large waiting room and a direct access parking area. The surgical wing was designed by ESa Architectural Group, in Nashville, and Wehr Construction, in Louisville, will manage the construction.
“Replacement of our current surgical department has been a focus of OCH’s strategic planning for almost a decade”, said Blaine Pieper, CEO of OCH. “The funding partnership with the USDA began in earnest in 2019. While delayed in part due to the COVID pandemic, we are very excited to finally enter the construction phase. Equally important as the building project itself, has been our focus on the recruitment and retention of key surgical specialties. This recruitment has enhanced and grown our surgical services and has driven the need for expanded and additional facilities.”
OCH currently has 24 local and regional surgeons credentialed to perform surgeries in the following specialties: Bariatrics, Ear, Nose & Throat, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Pain Management, Podiatry, and Urology. The new surgical wing will allow for continued expansion of surgical services to include robotic procedures.
The construction is expected to take 12 to 18 months with completion anticipated around spring of 2023.
Due to COVID restrictions, OCH will host a private groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. OCH is excited to share this milestone occasion with its staff and community via a FB Live viewing at Facebook.com/OCHcares.
OCH welcomes the community’s participation and comments.
