RCH expansion to move forward

Since the new Rooks County Health Center opened in 2008, the volume of inpatient and outpatient services has increased by 295%.   RCH no longer has the space it needs to adequately serve patient needs, especially in the clinic and rehabilitation areas, so the movement has begun to expand the facility.

RCHC expansionThe proposed expansion will allow RCH to meet this rapidly-growing demand.  The first phase will be the addition of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Nuclear Medicine facility.  Because doctors rely on MRI for diagnosing an increasingly wide range of medical issues, the limited availability of the current mobile unit is no longer meeting the demand for services.  Patients sometimes have to travel long distances for urgent appointments.

In short, a full-service hospital must have a  permanent MRI that will be available any time or any day it is needed.  The new generation of MRI machines offer high resolution and amazing detailed images with low risk to patients, making it the diagnostic tool of choice for a growing number of applications.

Immediate access to MRI services is an essential aspect of state-of-the-art medicine and will allow RCH to recruit specialists in vital new areas.  The new MRI will reduce waiting times, improve scheduling and allow the service to be offered in a more comfortable environment.

The proposed second phase of the expansion will allow RCH to meet the rapidly growing needs of the clinic and rehabilitation areas.

The Rehabilitation Center will integrate the Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Cardiac Rehab and Speech Therapy areas, and feature a new therapy pool and walking track.  The proposed Center would also free up space in the middle of the hospital to expand the clinic area, thus relieving the pressure on private exam room availability and creating opportunities to bring in additional top-notch specialists in areas such as cardiology, orthopedics, pulmonology, urology and pain management.

The expansion will also add new patient beds to expand the hospital’s capacity.  This will better accommodate periods of peak occupancy, such as occur during winter months.

Capital Campaign

Recognizing the importance of these projects, the Rooks County Healthcare Foundation has committed to raising private funds in a capital campaign to support these initiatives.  This expansion is vital to the  quality of life of the people of this area and to the long-term viability of the hospital we depend on.

Named Gift Opportunities

Naming opportunities are limited and will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis.  You may reserve naming rights with a pledge of the amount to be paid during the campaign time period, which ends on December 31, 2018.