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Every hospital must be equipped to service the entirety of its community. But in Allen County, Health Facilities Group witnessed a whole community mobilize to serve its vision for a new hospital. To transition from a private Critical Access Hospital back to a non-profit entity, Allen County Hospital required a replacement facility. HFG helped to form a robust community group to engage the public in a grass roots effort to build a new hospital and led a team of consultants that produced a comprehensive financial, strategic, and facility assessment.
HFG architects traveled to Allen County every two weeks for one and a half years, during which time we formed strong relationships with the business owners, accountants, Chief Nursing Officer, and community members appointed to a new board overseeing the replacement effort. To ensure passage of a necessary bond issue, HFG participated in all community meetings, prepared public presentations, and assisted in publicity efforts. With the bond issue’s successful passage, the people of Allen County secured access to improved and locally-managed health services. Ultimately, health outcomes are tied to much more than immediate medical circumstances. By organizing to protect its best interests, Allen County improved the medical outlook for an entire region.
The new 60,000 SF Allen County Hospital is a 25-bed, full-service hospital offering services for medical and surgical procedures, pediatrics, intensive care, obstetrics, and skilled nursing care. To give Allen County Hospital a regional presence, the facility features family-oriented birthing suites; large operating room suites; sleep study rooms; expanded diagnostic and rehabilitation services, including respiratory, physical, occupational, and speech therapy; infusion therapy; wound care; a laboratory; and radiology services, including CT scans, digital mammography, 4-D ultrasound, mobile MRI, and nuclear medicine.
Health Facilities Group also provided services related to land-use and zoning regulations. The initial site that the hospital was working with the county to acquire was located on the main East-West highway of the town. However, this site was deemed unsuitable due to toxicity from its past use for zinc smelting. Subsequently, HFG helped to locate a site on the North side of town that was ideally positioned in the direction of the community’s growth.
