Hospital Groundbreaking Set for May 4

GOLD BEACH, OR (April 27, 2015) - Curry Health Network is excited to announce they will be breaking ground on the replacement Curry General Hospital, an 18-bed critical access hospital, on Monday, May 4 at 5:30 p.m. The ceremony, open to the public, will be held in Gold Beach at 94220 4th Street, with a reception to follow in the fellowship hall of Bethany Lutheran Church, 94190 5th Street.

Since the early 1950s, the original Curry General Hospital has provided healthcare with genuine caring and compassion to the residents of Gold Beach and surrounding areas, and has recently received patient safety and quality accreditation by DNV-GL. In November, 2013, District voters supported the building effort by passing a ballot measure to approve a $10 Million general obligation bond, providing roughly one-third of the approximate $29 Million total cost.

"The old building has served us well," said Wayne Hellerstedt, Interim CEO, "but its time of usefulness has come and gone. Codes have changed tremendously, and the new design should provide the venue for increased efficiency, patient privacy, safety and quality healthcare."

The new hospital will be approximately 60,200 square feet on four levels, and will include 18 patient beds, two operating rooms, a clinic, laboratory, radiology, cardiopulmonary services, and an emergency department with several exam, triage and trauma rooms. The anticipated opening date is late 2016.

Officials from the Wisconsin-based design/build firm Erdman Company will be attending, as will representatives from the USDA, Curry Health District board members, and the Network's new Chief Executive Officer, Virginia "Ginny" Razo. The event will be emceed by Hellerstedt, whose last day with CHN will be May 8.

"We invite the public to join us for this special occasion," said Hellerstedt.