Sarah D. Culbertson Memorial Hospital in Rushville is set to have a major renovation over the next 7 years. The Journal Courier reports that the interior of the hospital will be renovated over the next 7 years in 6 separate phases at a total cost of $15.4 million.
The plan includes an expansion and renovation of the hospital’s emergency department, centrally locating and expanding laboratory services, creating a cancer center and expanding other services.
The west wing of the hospital is the first phase of the project. Culbertson Memorial Hospital CEO, John Kessler, told Quincy’s WGEM there are three key elements coming to the hospital in phase one: A reserved space for oncology patients, an expansion of their cardiac rehab program, and five new suites for specialty care. Kessler said that the COVID-19 pandemic has sped up the need for the expansion, because the hospital currently does not have any negative pressure rooms to isolate patients. Kessler says it won’t make the campus any larger in terms of size but it will make better use of the current space.
Kessler says the first phase will begin construction in July with the expectation for it to be done by December 2022. The entire project is expected to be completed by February 2027.