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May 7, 2004
Hospital breaks ground May 22
By DOUG McMURDO Project Director Roy Barraclough invites the entire community to the corner of Wilson Road and Lola Lane, where longtime resident and developer Hollis Harris donated a 25-acre parcel on which to construct the 25-bed, $20.8 million facility. "This ceremony marks the culmination of years of planning and preparation by various groups and individuals desirous of bringing acute care hospital services to Pahrump," wrote Barraclough in a letter announcing the groundbreaking, adding, "Rural Health Management Corporation is honored to build in these previous efforts and undertake the actual construction of the facility. A few short months from now the facility will be a reality (that will benefit) the residents of Pahrump and other communities located in the hospital's service area." Late last month Rural Health Management gained state approval to build the facility after the company scrambled to fund the project. In his approval, Michael Willden, director of the Nevada Department of Human Resources, established a timetable that Rural Health must follow during the construction process. The building of Desert View will get underway in earnest in June and must be complete by August 2005. Licensing the facility must occur by September 2005 and services must be provided the following month. Barraclough last month said Rural Health hopes to beat the deadline by several months. The 70,000-square-foot hospital will provide 18 medical or surgical beds, four special care or intensive care beds, and three birthing suites. Plans to expand the acute primary care facility to 50 beds could occur almost immediately, said Barraclough. Other services include a 24-hour emergency room with five treatment rooms, one trauma room with two bays and one room for infusion patients. Diagnostic imaging including radiography, fluoroscopy, ultrasound, mammography, CT, and a mobile MRI will be available, as will comprehensive laboratory services. The hospital will also provide a cardiology department including EKG, EEG, pulmonary function testing, cardiac exercise and rehab, and blood gas analysis. Physical therapy, a surgery department with two operating rooms - one for minor procedures - four pre-surgery beds and three recovery beds will be available, as will a pharmacy. |
