Hospital breaks ground for expansion project

By: 
Philip A. Janquart
Editor/Reporter

    With shovels in hand and hardhats in place, Weiser Memorial Hospital administrators broke ground on Monday, June 14 in a ceremony marking the start of construction of a 5,000-square foot, $3.5 million expansion project.
 The expansion, to be built on the west side of the hospital, will enhance the hospital’s capabilities to handle people with infectious diseases, which became a high priority during the recent pandemic.
 “We will have two complete isolation rooms, with an ante room so that patients that do have an infectious disease can be properly taken care of and protect staff at the same time, and allow us to keep them here when appropriate,” said Weiser Memorial CEO Steve Hale. “And then, we’re adding four additional medical beds.”
 During the height of the pandemic, hospitals in the Treasure Valley were not certain they would be able to accept Weiser patients if their own rooms continued filling, forcing hospital administrators to come up with a plan for the $3.5 million in CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act funds Weiser Memorial received from the federal government.
 “Part of the consideration with the whole pandemic planning was to be able to survive on our own if need be … when the big systems get overloaded,” Hale said. “This build will both meet the requirements of the CARES money, so we are being good stewards of those monies, and fall inline with our master facilities plan.”
 “It is truly reflective of our mission of saving lives, improving health and building community,” he added.
 Dr. Torrey Nash said the expanded capabilities the expansion will bring are important for any future pandemics.
 “Last year we were always concerned whether we were going to have enough beds for the people we needed them for, and certainly isolation beds with negative pressure rooms are paramount in this kind of situation,” he said. “We know those kinds of times are coming again; we can’t expect that this is just going to be a one-shot deal.”
 The hospital has only seen two additions in its 70-year history: A new surgical wing was constructed in 1991 and a surgical clinic was added in 1995.
 Continued expansion is important to growing communities where people seek good schools and quality hospital and medical care.
 Former Weiser Mayor and outgoing Weiser Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees member Diana Thomas lauded administrators’ efforts in coming up with a cogent plan for expansion.
 “The act of a ground breaking was considered the representation of breaking the earth to make a sacred deposit that would endorse a firm foundation and I think that’s what we are doing here,” she said. “We are breaking some ground and we are establishing a firm foundation. We will continue to see this community grow and we will continue to see this hospital grow, and our goal is to make sure that everyone in this community knows that they are safe in our hospital and they are going to receive quality care.”
 The project is expected to be complete in July 2022.
 

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18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
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FAX: (208) 549-1718
 

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