HMHD: Hospital addition ‘not feasible’ at this time

Local News

June 25, 2009

By DANIEL WALKER The Commerce Journal Thu Jun 25, 2009, 01:23 PM CDT

The Hunt Memorial Hospital District Board of Trustees learned that a planned expansion of the Commerce hospital has been sidetracked.

During Tuesday’s HMHD trustees’ meeting, Hunt Regional Healthcare Chief Executive Officer Richard Carter said that plans for expansion of the Commerce Hospital including building a new lab at a cost of $320,000 “need to be changed immensely”.

“That’s not feasible,” he said, explaining that rules prohibited a new building being attached to the old hospital.

He added that the board would need to discuss what to do in Commerce at a later board meeting. “Do we do nothing — or build a new hospital at the cost of 10 to 12 million dollars?” Carter asked.

Board member Frank Janda said he believed Commerce should be expanded since a company has announced an expansion that could bring a 1,000 jobs to the community.

After the meeting, on Wednesday, Hospital District communications director Jack Gray clarified the hospital status saying that a feasibility study had been done to build a new lab, but it was not feasible. Instead the hospital layout was rearranged to provide lab space. He added that building a new hospital would require a great deal of additional planning. “The Commerce hospital is a Critical Access Hospital, meaning the location cannot change,” Gray said. “That would be the challenge in rebuilding.”

Jeri Rich, Chief Financial Officer, reported that the number of patients at both Commerce and Greenville was below forecasts during May. “It was the lowest of the year (for any month) in Commerce,” Rich said.

In other action, the trustees gave approval to increase the budget of the Hunt Regional Medical Center Podiatric Surgical Program from $189,000 to $228,753. Most of the increase was for salary raises that the program director, Dr. Steven Brancheau, said were necessary to keep the program competitive in bringing in top residency doctors. He added that the program will still operate in the black while bringing prestige to the hospital. Brancheau said that the three residency doctors saw 630 patients with foot and ankle injuries in the ER during the past year. He hopes to increase the number of residency doctors to six by 2012. The salary increase will go from the current $32,000 a year for a first year residency doctor to $42,000 next year and the current $36,000 for a third year residency doctor to $46,000 next year.

Carter said that a clinic in Royse City on the west side of Hunt County was still planned. Carter said that a member of the medical staff had questioned whether that was a wise investment — that patients might opt to head west for medical care, but Carter said he still feels that growth in Royse City and Caddo Mills make it viable.

Dr. James Sandin, Assistant Administrator for Medical Affairs, echoed those sentiments. “I would disagree that we can’t attract those patients,” he said, adding that he used to have a large number of patients from that area when he had an active practice.

Documents presented at the meeting indicate the district hopes to open a minor care clinic in 2010, an imagining and rehab center by 2011 and a surgery center in 2011 on district owned property on the east side of Royse City.

The board set July 28 as the date of their budget workshop. The workshop will take place at 5 p.m. before the regular monthly trustees’ meeting.

Text Only

Local News

Best Super Bowl ad? Vote for your favorite
Naked M&Ms, an out-of-shape dog on a mission and Clint Eastwood delivering a passionate speech about American adversity -- these are among the favorite commercials that aired during Sunday's Super Bowl.

February 5, 2012 1 Photo
Skatepark project to enter planning phase
With $15,000 in the bank and two large grant proposals under consideration, the Commerce Parks Foundation is getting ready to enter the beginning stages of building the Commerce skatepark. While the foundation still has a long way to go before they can break ground on the project, donations of money, services and supplies from local companies and organizations like Atmos Energy, the Commerce Lions Club and Hayter Engineering have them on the right track, according to Commerce Parks Foundation President Barbara Lenington.

February 3, 2012
Commerce Community Plaza sanctioned by Mexican consulate general of Dallas
Hispanic and local community leaders met Monday night to celebrate the opening of the Commerce Community Plaza at the A.C. Williams Elementary School. Officials from the Commerce Independent School District, Texas A&M University-Commerce, the Mexican Consulate in Dallas, L.U.L.A.C were present at the event, which featured a ribbon-cutting, a salsa and enchilada cook-off and a performance by the Fusion Dance Group from A&M-Commerce.

January 30, 2012 1 Photo
Bonham Street receives historical district designation
Bonham Street has been a unique street in Commerce for decades, and now the historical area is finally getting the recognition, and hopefully the face lift, it deserves. The Commerce City Council has designated Bonham Street as a historical district, thanks to the efforts of the Bonham Street Association, and as soon as a design is finished, signage relating that information will be erected along the street. It’s clear just by driving down the street that a lot has happened on Bonham, and the street is special to residents who have lived there since the early 60’s and newcomers who fell in love with the street.

January 25, 2012
No action taken by city council regarding Throgmorton bankruptcy
No action was taken by the Commerce City Council meeting Tuesday night following an executive session to discuss Mayor Quay Throgmorton and his wife’s recent bankruptcy filing.

January 19, 2012
Warrant issued for former A&M-Commerce student
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a former Texas A&M University-Commerce student in relation to a stabbing incident that occurred on Jan. 6. Jerald Manuel has been charged with burglary with intent to commit assault, a second-degree felony in the state of Texas. If convicted, Manuel would face between two and 20 years in jail and up to a $10,000 fine.

January 16, 2012
Brick veneer crumbles off of Whitley Hall
Dozens of bricks fell from Whitley Hall’s 12th floor cooling tower Sunday night, prompting university officials to temporarily shut down both entrances to the building. No one was injured in the incident. At approximately 8:30 p.m. Sunday night, students were advised via the university’s IRIS alert system to avoid the building, and at 11 p.m. they were allowed back into the building, but only through the north entrance. The south side entrance to the 12-story residence hall remains closed.

January 16, 2012 1 Photo
Jasmine Sanford prepares to run for gold
Most college graduates are happy to simply celebrate their educational and athletic accomplishments after working hard for four or more years, but Jasmine Sanford will be taking on the hardest challenge of her life: qualifying for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

January 11, 2012
Two involved in stabbing on A&M-Commerce campus
A domestic disturbance at the New Pride residence hall on the campus of Texas A&M University-Commerce Friday afternoon resulted in violence and a hospital visit.

January 6, 2012
College Corner Cafe provides a taste of Austin in small town Texas
Step into the College Corner Cafe, a recently-opened restaurant located at Lee and Mayo Street, and the first thing you’ll notice is the music memorabilia. There are hundreds of pieces guitars, pictures, album covers and more- framed and hung on almost every square inch of space in the restaurant.

January 6, 2012 1 Photo
More Local News Headlines

What is your favorite thing about Commerce, TX?

Local News

Search Results

HMHD: Hospital addition ‘not feasible’ at this time

What is your favorite thing about Commerce, TX?

Site Map

Contact Us