Texas County Memorial Hospital broke ground Thursday at its new clinic and ambulance base in Mountain Grove.
Sen. Kit Bond and Rep. Jo Ann Emerson joined local officials, TCMH board members and representatives from the staffs of SE-MA-NO Electric Cooperation and TCMH at the event. About 125 people attended.
“Access to healthcare is of the utmost importance in rural Missouri, and TCMH has one of the most dedicated healthcare facilities in the region,” Emerson said. “I am very glad this new project will expand a good system which is working well. Texas County Memorial Hospital is a great model for the professional medical community, and I am proud to join them as they break ground on a new project in Wright County.”
Bond and Emerson highlighted the need to address the healthcare for rural Missourians as they presented a mock check for $740,000 to finance the construction of the new TCMH health clinic and ambulance base in Mountain Grove. Bond, Emerson and the SE-MA-NO Electric Cooperative leadership pressed for the funds through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Economic Development Loan program, which provides zero-interest loans to rural electric cooperatives for community development projects.
The new facility will expand access to quality healthcare for an additional 17,955 people and provide 10 to 15 full-time jobs. The project will help bring Wright County citizens closer to emergency services and routine medical services such as vaccinations, lab tests and treatments for the flu and other illnesses. In addition to these benefits, the clinic will include new treatment rooms, additional workspace and new medical equipment, which will use the latest in telecommunication technology to provide interconnectivity between other clinics and hospitals through electronic medical records.
“Access to quality healthcare is a critical issue for much of rural America and south central Missouri is no different,” said Bond. “That’s why this is so important. This new facility will make it easier for Wright Country residents to access quality care, close to home.”
Wes Murray, chief executive officer at TCMH, expressed his appreciation for the USDA loan.
“Once again, it’s such a privilege to be a recipient of the generous programs available through USDA,” he said. “It’s so encouraging for rural health systems to have electric cooperatives such as SE-MA-NO working closely with departments like the USDA to identify needs in rural healthcare. This project will expand emergent and non-emergent services in a rural area and it would not have been possible without their teamwork and commitment.”