Will the BCMC be renovated or a new one built?

As part of a four-hour meeting, Bradley County Medical Center board members reviewed a master plan presented by architects and were basically presented with two options: do major renovations to the current hospital or build a new one.

No decision was immediately made.

Top photo: John Dale, front left, director of Bernhard Engineering Division, and Paul Gregory, front right, presented a master plan to Bradley County Medical Center board members Thursday. Photo by Tim Kessler.

Paul Gregory, president of Polk, Stanley, Wilcox Architects of Little Rock, and John Dale, director of Bernhard Engineering Division, reviewed several structural deficiencies in the helipad, plumbing, roof and location, among other things.

The main structure of the hospital was built in 1949. Additions were made in 1974, 1987, 2001 and 2010.

Dale said most of the hospital’s old steam boilers are beyond their useful life, as well as chillers used in air conditioning, air handlers and underground plumbing.

Visual inspections were made of the building, interviews conducted with hospital leadership and cost estimates were derived.

Gregory said the present building is “not the best place for a site.”

They estimated that replacement of major electrical systems alone would cost $2.5 million. An estimated $8.7 million would be needed to repair all deficiencies, with $5.5 million deemed urgent.

To build a new hospital someplace else would cost between $12 million-$25 million.

“Times have changed especially for healthcare,” Gregory said. He noted his mother was born in Warren and since the hospital was built, there have been major changes in air conditioning, computers, fire sprinklers, health insurance and chronic shortage of medical staff.

Comments from patients and staff were considered, with a majority of county residents choosing to use BCMC over other hospitals, mainly because it is close to their homes.

Compared to other area hospitals, BCMC is the oldest. That includes the following: Fordyce, 1957; El Dorado, 1964; McGehee, 1965; Lake Village, 1967; Monticello, 1985; Crossett, 1998.

During the time that the hospital has been in Warren, Bradley County population has declined, total patient days are down, emergency room visits have stayed steady, and surgeries and total admissions have declined.

Gregory said that has an effect on recruitment, employee morale, public perception and maintenance costs are higher. Currently, BCMC spends about $467,000 just on utilities.

He showed a Cabot hospital that was recently built for $8 million. A blueprint was presented for a 15-bed hospital with about 50,000 square feet estimated to cost $25 million to $30 million.

If a new hospital were to be built, financing could come from engraved bricks, a donors wall, naming opportunities, a Housing and Urban Development loan or the Build America Buy America Act.

He suggested the hospital could even look at a name change and adding more services.

“Remodeling above ground won’t fix (all the problems),” he said.

“The health of the community is related to the health of the hospital,” Dale added.

Dr. Hank Wharton questioned if an acute care facility could be located on part of the hospital property and then remodel the main building. Gregory said he felt that the hospital is located in the wrong part of town and didn’t have enough room for expansion.

Board members will probably discuss the issue in future board meetings before making a decision on renovation or a new hospital.

In other action:

• French Wynne III was welcomed as a new board member. “We look forward to your input and making this institution the best it can be,” said Chairman Freddie Mobley.
• CEO Leslie Huitt said that as a critical access hospital, BCMC will see cost increases that won’t be reimbursed until next year. She said a cost report should be ready to file in mid-February, with an estimated $1.8 million coming from Medicaid-Medicare reimbursement. However, she said Medicare had finished a cost settlement from 2019 and found the hospital owed $108,000.
• Huitt said an examination of accounts receivable found after a review of medical records, $900,000 was deficient in that category instead of $1.7 million previously noted.
• Chief Nursing Officer Jamie Wolfe said DAISY awards for extraordinary nurses had resumed. Tina Battles was awarded a DAISY award and the late Tammy Hensley was honored with a celebration of life. Nominees Rebecca Powell and Sabrina Peacock were also honored.
• COVID masking requirements at the hospital have been relaxed but are still in place.
• Vice President of Support Services Marilyn Johnson said Bradley County government will apply for a $1 million grant to fix the hospital roof, with the hospital paying 65 percent of the cost through sales tax funds.
• Maintenance Director Tim Saunders said KidsFirst is still being repaired due to flooding from a broken water pipe. He said it may take four to six weeks before students and teachers can return to the building. He said he is still waiting on bids for the hospital roof and plumbing.
• Policy changes were approved on billing and collections, and Rural Health Clinic billing and collections, admissions, financial assistance and emergency preparedness manual.
• County sales tax collected in November totaled $115,000. There is $4 million available for capital improvements.
• Compliance Officer Leanna Williams said Employee of the Month recognition will begin. She is working on a marketing video and wellness program.
• Medical staff recommendations were approved.