By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

It took more than six years from groundbreaking to construction, but Hillsboro Community Hospital finally has a new home at Industrial Rd. and US-56.

Chief executive officer Marion Regier said it was worth the wait.

“It was an awesome feeling to see everything that we’ve worked on for the past years come together,” she said. “Seeing everyone work together as a team to make sure everything was moved and ready for patients was great. It is great to be moved in. Patients are going to see a big change.”

Items not critical to day-to-day operations or delivery of patient care were moved April 17. Most of the move was done Thursday evening and all day Friday.

The inpatient wing and emergency department were ready to receive patients at 2 p.m. Friday. Hospital patients were transferred by ambulance.

“The highlight was the look on the face of the first patient as he stepped out of the ambulance,” Regier said. “He was so proud to say that he was the first patient in our new hospital.”

The 27,000-square-foot building is larger than the old facility. Its eight patient rooms are the same number as in the old facility, but there is a kitchen, something the old hospital didn’t have. The emergency room is conveniently connected with the nurses’ station.

The hospital has some new diagnostic equipment such as a CAT scanner and x-ray machines.

“Everyone on our team has adjusted to their new work home and they are so pleased with the new facility,” Regier said.

Moving the phones from one system to another has proven to be a challenge; one that Regier hoped would be worked out by the end of the week.

She was grateful to all employees and volunteers who helped with the move.

“The Tabor College football team provided a lot of strength to move heavy items, and the track team moved many boxes of records for us,” she said. “A group of Hillsboro city employees did an awesome job of helping us move on Friday.”

The new facility opened for business Monday.

HCH is one of 12 facilities that are part of a network of rural critical access hospitals owned by HMC/CAH Consolidated and operated by Rural Community Hospitals of America.

Financing was provided through a $1.275 million loan from the city and a government-guaranteed $9.7 million loan from the Bank of Hays.