Members of the Texas County Memorial Hospital administrative team have chosen HMN Architects Inc., in Springfield to develop a long-range site plan for the facility. The board of trustees earlier gave its approval for the project.
TCMH requested bids for the effort from three companies that specialize in planning for healthcare facilities. After looking at the bid proposals and meeting with the firms providing the service, hospital administration chose HMN Architects because they met the hospital’s plan goals — rural healthcare experience, a good reputation and corporate personality traits that coalesce with the institution and its personnel.
“The staff from HMN will spend a lot of time with us in developing this plan,” Wes Murray, chief executive officer at TCMH, said. “Finding the best company for this plan meant that we needed to find a company that matched well with us.”
HMN Architects, Inc., has offices in Springfield and Overland Park, Kan. The architectural firm utilizes consultants to assist in the development of the long-range site plan. Some hospitals they have worked with in Missouri include Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall, Citizens Memorial Healthcare in Bolivar and Lake Regional Health Systems in Osage Beach.
The site plan will analyze the existing service lines offered by TCMH, the current facility structures and the electrical and mechanical systems in the various buildings and the features of each facility structure. The final plan will project immediate five- and 10-year needs for the county facility.
“We need this plan in order to move forward and to make the best strategic plans for the growth and betterment of our hospital,” Murray said. “We need someone to analyze our facility from looking at our current services to expanding services to the placement of services within our present facility.”
The site project will take about three months to complete. The final product will include a financial analysis, a total facility analysis and architectural renderings for future expansion at the county hospital.
Work on the project has already begun. TCMH department managers have been provided with surveys requesting information regarding staffing, utilization and site design of each hospital department. Following completion of the survey, staff from HMN will meet individually with each department manager.
Additionally, engineers will visit TCMH to study the current site and facility.
The core part of the hospital dates back to 1958 when it was built, and many additions have been made with the most recent addition in 2006 for the in-house MRI.