People with broken bones could soon find relief at a local hospital. The Callaway Community Hospital is bringing back its Orthopedic Surgery Unit after years of absence. Hospital officials said the unit could open its doors sometime in April. CEO Mike Powell said the new unit is a necessity.
“Patients won’t have to drive to Columbia or Jeff City for their orthopedic surgeries. For too long now, Callaway has not had the recourses necessary to perform those services, so we’re happy to be bringing that back,” Powell said.
The hospital is located in the heart Fulton, and serves all of Callaway County. Money was a roadblock in the past, but new ownership is having better luck. The Fulton Community Center group, which is owned by MU and a company called Nueterra based in Kansas City, took over the hospital at the beginning of 2015.
Powell said that they are able to fund the new unit due to a recent 1.8 million-dollar grant which was recently rewarded to the hospital. Of the 1.8 Million, roughly 600,000 dollars will be used solely for the development of the orthopedic unit. Purchasing the necessary equipment and constructing the new facility – including adding a new roof - will be the two main costs.
Powell said that the goal is to open up the unit sometime in April, but that they need to fill the staff first.
“It’s a lofty goal, but we’re moving fast and I really think we’re going to get it done,” Powell said.
Powell said the hospital is currently in contact with local surgeons, and that they are looking for surgical technicians and nurses in particular. He said that it’s hard to tell how many employees they will need at this point, but that they are already in serious discussions with four potential employees.
Amy Leiker is the Vice President of Global Marketing for Nueterra. Leiker said that the new facility will have an impact on the community in a multitude of ways.
“The biggest impact is going to be on the quality of care and the convenience for patients,” Leiker said.
From an economic standpoint, Powell said that the new surgical unit will help boost the local economy.
“It’s going to bring an increase in jobs and an increase in revenue for the hospital, which in turn will cascade down to the community,” Powell said.
But ultimately, Powell said, the project is focused on making patients’ lives easier.
“It can sometimes be a hardship for folks within this community to drive to other cities for surgery,” Powell said.