HCHC announces plans for clinic remodel

By Bryce Kelly, Mt. Pleasant News

It may not be long before Henry County Health Center (HCHC) begins another major work project.

After recently completing work on the health center?s administration parking lot, and deciding to hold any additional parking lot improvement projects, HCHC CEO Robb Gardner announced Tuesday that the health center is in the beginning stages of planning a remodel of the specialty clinics within the health center.

?At this point, we don?t have any design workups to show the board or an itemized cost sheet to present on the project,? said Gardner. ?We hope to have more to present in March.?

According to previous statements made by the HCHC Board of Trustees, the health center?s administration felt that the need to delay additional parking lot improvements in favor of doing some updating to the HCHC Physicians Clinics was more prudent and beneficial to the overall success of the health center.

?The biggest reason for the remodel is that we feel those offices need a bit stronger presence cosmetically,? said Gardner. ?We have fantastic providers in those clinics who provide excellent medical services, and we want to highlight those services by updating the space, making it more visually inviting, and just overall, providing a more dynamic atmosphere for our patients and our staff.?

According to Gardner during Tuesday?s monthly HCHC Board of Trustees meeting, the health center?s administration team is currently working with an architect to design some preliminary blue prints for the project, as well as develop an estimated cost sheet and timeline for the work. No official start or end date has been set.

Furthermore, Gardner added that Dr. Reed Bouchey?s office is also looking into some minor cosmetic updates. More information on his potential work projects is slated to be shared during March?s regular board meeting.

The board of trustees also emphasized that should the remodel be approved, it should include a plan that would ultimately be workable for additional medical staff, as the board felt that providing space for the health center to grow was a need.

Moving on to other matters, the board held a public hearing on the county tax budget for the health center. With no public comments made regarding the matter, the trustees approved the tax budget, with the levy remaining the same as last year. Additionally, HCHC CFO Dave Muhs announced that the health center would receive an additional sum of approximately $26,000 due to increased evaluations. They will receive an approximate total of $943,000.

Finally, Mary Liechty, administrator of Southeastern Iowa Renal Dialysis (SEIRD), gave a report to the board regarding the five centers that SEIRD operated. In total, Liechty said the five centers serve roughly 190 patients currently, and is one of only three privately owned dialysis operations in Iowa.

According to Liechty, SEIRD operates in conjunction with HCHC, Great River Medical Center, Ft. Madison Community Hospital and Jefferson County Health Center. Outpatient dialysis clinics are located at each one of these facilities, as well as in Keokuk.

The next HCHC Board of Trustees meeting is set for Tuesday, March 21, 2017, at noon, in the HCHC Board Room.