Just a little over a month ago, the Jackson Parish Hospital (JPH) was recognized as the 2023 Outstanding Rural Health Organization of the Year by the Louisiana Rural Health Association (LRHA).
Another step towards maintaining that position in the future took place on Monday, December 18th, when elected officials and JPH administrators broke ground on the Emergency Room / MRI / Endoscopy Expansion Project, estimated to be valued at #11 million dollars.
The groundbreaking took place in front of the hospital’s electronic digital sign, another new addition in the last year, located on the corner of Beech Springs Hwy and Hwy 167 in Jonesboro. With “golden spade” in hand ten distinguished officials and hospital leaders “turned the earth” earmarking the upcoming addition of new services and a new look after 60 years of history through the “two phase” project.
“Our hospital was built in 1962. We just celebrated our 60th year anniversary. Over that time the healthcare industry has changed and grown. Our community has grown,” said JPH’s, CIO/COO, Jason Thomas. “While we’ve made greater progress in implementing state-of-the-art technology throughout our hospital, only one major renovation has occurred in that entire history and that was for the inpatient wings. This will help match the building to modern healthcare requirements as well and provide more space tailored to today’s needs with plans for tomorrow’s growth.”
The project is being funded in part by a $2 million community appropriation project supported by Congresswoman Julia Letlow, R-La., with the rest coming from the hospital’s operating funds.
“What I try to share with my colleagues up in Washington is that $2 million dollars can go very far in our rural communities. It can really transform an entire town. And there’s nothing that’s more important than healthcare for our rural communities,” said Letlow.
The first phase of the project will make upgrades to the front of the hospital by updating the patient and vehicle traffic flow. Inside the hospital, the former surgery and business office areas will then be combined into an expanded endoscopy suite, along with parts of a new emergency room area.
Phase 2 will then upgrade and rebuild the existing Emergency Room (ER) and surgery space, that once complete will increase the area from around 2,500 square feet each to a combined 12,000 square feet.
The new ER will feature eight treatment rooms and two trauma rooms, with additional access to the new surgery space’s single trauma room and three treatment areas if needed. A new ambulance bay will also be a part of the project, allowing for four-vehicle pass-through availability, along with ambulance and patient dedicated lanes. A 46-car parking lot will also be included in the project.
JPH officials say that “Phase 1” of the project is expected to wrap up in November or December 2024, with the completion of “Phase 2” estimated to be in the summer of 2025.