By HFT Staff

USDA Rural Development Missouri State Director Kyle Wilkens announced the agency is investing $57,750,000 through the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program for expanding and upgrading Citizens Memorial Hospital District of Polk County.  Since this is a project of considerable cost that affects such a large service area, several local area banks partnered with USDA to help fund $19,250,000 of this project, which totals $77,000,000. 

The Rural Development investment will be used to renovate and expand the main Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar. The facility was originally constructed in the 1980s and expanded in the 1990s and early 2000s. The emergency department, surgical unit, and intensive and progressive care units occasionally have issues properly accommodating the needs of the public due to age, condition, size, number of rooms, lack of updated ventilation and the need to provide various new levels of patient containment. As such, these departments are being pushed beyond their expected capabilities and capacities in trying to meet the current patient demands. The project includes several upgrades and additions to hospital facilities and is expected to be 124,750 square feet, including 102,500 square feet of expansion and 22,250 square feet of renovation when finished.

Planned improvements include: 

• Medical/Surgical: Transitioning all rooms from semi-private to private, increasing pediatric rooms from one to six, and increasing intensive care unit beds from eight to 12. 
• Surgery: Adding a third operating room and shell of a room that could house a fourth operating room in the future. 
• Emergency Room: Increasing beds from 12 to 21 and adding a six-bed unit designed specifically for behavioral health patients. 
• Cardiac Cath: Constructing two cardiac catheter units and replacing the current modular unit to support planned growth in cardiology department. 
• Laboratory: Consolidating off-site location due to growth in tests performed in recent years. 
• Cafeteria and Dietary: Expanding for improved experience for patients and visitors. 
• Facilities: Upgrades to ventilation, filtration, air handling, boilers, chillers, water heaters, medical vacuum pumps and fire alarms.