(Spirit Lake)– Patients and visitors at Lakes Regional Healthcare are noticing some changes as construction on a new west entrance and on the medical office building continues. Jennifer Gustafson of Lakes Regional Healthcare tells KUOO news other than for emergency room patients, access to the hospital beginning Monday will be temporarily limited to the east side of the facility…
“We are wanting people to come into our hospital through the east entrance instead of the west entrance. The western entrance will only have a temporary entrance only for ER patients. That’s because part of our project is to remodel the west entrance and so we’re starting that construction right now.”
Gustafson says construction on the new medical office building is also kicking into high gear now…
“Construction workers have demolished the old clinic. They have also been setting up foundation work too so that structural steel will be able to be put up here in the near future. They’re also going to be putting in plumbing under what will be the new addition, so a lot of kind of structural or foundational work I would say so that everything can work in the new building. So pretty soon you’ll be able to see the formation of the structure, though, too.”
Gustafson says the projects remain on target for completion next summer…
“And at that time, that’s when the family medicine providers of Lakes Family Practice and Spirit Lake Medical Center will combine into one clinic and we’ll have a new west entrance also where when people walk in they can make a decision right away to either go right, to turn to the right to go into the emergency area or turn left to go into hospital and clinic services. I think people are going to be really happy with the changes. It’s going to be a lot more efficient, and it’s going to be a lot more private. It’s just going to be really good for everyone.”
Gustafson says they appreciate everyone’s cooperation and patience while the work is underway.
