Copyright Lewiston Morning Tribune
PULLMAN — Long- anticipated plans for a reimagined Pullman Regional Hospital are soon becoming a reality as construction breaks ground this month. The milestone comes three years after Pullman’s constituents gave the go-ahead for an expanded hospital. Since then, CEO Matt Forge said staff have been hard at work making sure they deliver on the promises made to the community. “It’s been a heck of a project,” Forge said. “With these things, especially as big and as important as they are for our community, we wanted to make sure that we got it right. So I think we’re getting to kick off a project that we feel really great about … and that we really think will improve access to the community.” The nonprofit hospital’s $41 million Patient Care Expansion Project will be executed in three phases over the next three years. The plan remodels around 30,000 square feet of the hospital, which Forge said will adjust its facility to meet the community’s growing needs now and into the future. A lot has changed since the hospital moved into its 25-bed primary facility located on Bishop Boulevard more than 20 years ago. The hospital’s health care services have expanded to include more clinics and providers. Forge said the hospital is also seeing twice as many emergency visits than it did 10 years ago, a steady increase in surgeries and more patients seeking same-day services. The project focuses on increasing access in three areas, Forge said, which include emergency care, expanded procedure space and outpatient support. The new plans include a fifth operating room, 10 additional emergency patient care rooms to double its current capacity and a new dedicated mental health space. Patient wait times could decrease with two CT scanners on hand and a second endoscopy suite. The layout will centralize registration, making a simplified experience for patients checking in or out. Additionally, the hospital’s outpatient rooms and other supporting spaces will be upgraded. Forge said construction is phased out so that the hospital can remain 100% operational throughout the process. The project has evolved since voters approved a $27.5 million bond in 2022. Forge said the initial plan for a new medical office building was removed from the bond-funded portion of work and is currently a fourth possible phase. “We spent so much time planning and preparing over the last few years to meet those needs with a changing environment,” Forge said. PRH Director of External Relations Alison Weigley said of the $41 million total, construction is slated to cost $24.8 million. Bouten Construction Company and Design West Architects were hired to perform the work. Along with the bond, the project will be funded through philanthropy and borrowing from the hospital fund. Forge said the hospital’s goal of fundraising around $7 million by the end of the multiyear project is on track, and has raised more than $1 million to date. “The biggest thing is that we’re just so thankful for the community support,” Forge said. “We just hope that as we get to the end of this, we can really make our community proud and really live up to their expectations.” Learn more about Pullman Regional Hospital’s expansion project at pullmanregional.org/expansion. Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.
