WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Congressman Dan Boren announced today that he has secured $250,000 for the McCurtain Memorial Hospital in Idabel, Ok in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act of FY2010 which passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday by a vote of 264 to 153. The funding will allow for several improvements to the facility including the sewer system, elevator systems, boiler/chiller room, and medical electric and gas outlets.
“It is an honor to bring this federal funding back to Idabel and McCurtain County to improve the McCurtain Memorial Hospital. The hospital provides critical health care services for southeast Oklahoma, and is one of the largest employers in the community. It also offers comprehensive educational programs for preventative health maintenance in a county that has a high incident rate of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. I pledge to continue obtaining funding for projects like this that improve health care services for southeastern Oklahoma,” Boren said.
The funding will provide updated medical gas outlets and electrical power, which currently date back to original construction. None of the rooms currently are equipped with emergency power and this work would address that. Also, the work will include the separation of the existing boilers and chillers in the mechanical room, separation of elevator machine equipment and electrical panels in that room, and the replacement of a collapsed sanitary sewer line and other kitchen improvements. These improvements will both bring several areas of the hospital into state and federal compliance and address serious life safety issues which were previously unfunded.
“The timing of this funding is very significant as rural health care is facing challenges on several fronts. We’ve put several projects on hold here at the hospital, and now we can move forward and accomplish those goals, which is a great thing for the citizens in this area. I want to thank Congressman Boren for his work in bringing these resources to McCurtain Memorial and for his dedication to helping improve rural health care,” said McCurtain Memorial Hospital CEO, Bristol Messer.
McCurtain Memorial Hospital, which was constructed in 1974, has not been remodeled since it was built. The renovation and expansion, of which these improvements are a part of, will provide the hospital the ability to remedy the current physical deficiencies. It will also allow inpatient and outpatient health care services to be performed more efficiently.
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