September 6, 2013
Health District plans for new Gold Beach Hospital
GOLD BEACH, OR - When Curry Health District was established in 1983, the purpose of the District was expressed in six goals: Service - to grow services to match the various communities we serve: Quality - to meet or exceed all National Quality standards; Financial - to produce sustainable growth; People - to assure a positive experience for all who interact with Curry Health District; Facilities - to insure our facilities are safe, accessible, attractive and support our work; Growth - to expand services throughout Curry County.
It is exactly these six goals which the Board of Directors considered before voting - first on June 26 and again on August 28 - to move forward with placement of a $10 Million levy on the November 5th ballot to replace the 60-year old Curry General Hospital in Gold Beach, and to improve services at Curry Family Medical clinic in Port Orford.
"The hospital's current and deteriorating condition makes it difficult if not impossible to meet Medicare and state licensure standards," said Curry Health Network CEO, Andrew Bair. "Of other great concern is the fact that the facility can no longer be grand-fathered into old Oregon Fire Code." The hospital has requested a three-year waiver from the State Fire Marshall, but in 2016 they will be required to meet current fire code. "That will mean major reconstruction that might include building a fire wall right down the center of the hospital."
Board member Marlyn Schafer said "If we don't do this now, we won't have an emergency room or a hospital in 2016."
According to the District's CFO, Ken Landau, the current costs of repairs, maintenance, and loss of services already exceed the debt service of the proposed levy - for example, a recent two-month closure of the operating room was necessary for repair and replacement of the ceiling and resulted in more than $600,000 in lost revenue.
The levy would add 74 cents per $1,000 property valuation for members of the District, which is bounded in the north by Elk River north of Port Orford, south by Pistol River, and includes Agness. Only members of the District will have an opportunity to vote on this measure, and only District property owners will be affected by the levy.
"A replacement facility is estimated to cost $20 Million," said Landau, "and the remaining balance would come from Federal, State, and/or other sources. That remaining balance of $10 Million is not taxable," he said.
According to the District, a new facility will attract and retain quality providers and medical staff, improve efficiency with a modern and functional layout, increase the number of exam and treatment rooms, have larger and multiple operating rooms to accommodate today's technology, provide for seamless patient flow from clinics to outpatient departments, have single occupancy rooms allowing for privacy and infection prevention, and will include family-friendly OB rooms with state-of-the-art Obstetric facilities.
"Deciding how best to serve our community's healthcare needs today, and in the coming decades, was a complex decision," said Bair. "Investing in a modern facility to replace our aged and deteriorating facility to allow for expanded and enhanced services is the only way to keep pace with current and future health care demands, and to attract and retain quality providers and medical staff." According to the CEO, the Board did not take the decision lightly, and was mindful of the other tax measures on the ballot. "Each has valid reasons," Bair said. "Curry Health District supports whatever creates a revitalized community."
"We have compassionate and dedicated staff here at Curry General Hospital, and we want to provide a facility for the community that reflects the high quality of service we offer," said Bair.