Brookings Health System named among top rural hospitals in the country
When it comes to health care, rural communities can often slip through the cracks. It’s not uncommon for rural residents to have extensive travel time just to access basic care. Brookings Health System in Brookings, South Dakota, wanted to provide high-quality and expansive medical care for the Brookings and surrounding community, and hired KA to work on its 114,788 square foot expansion and remodel project.
Brookings Health System was recently named to the National Rural Health Association’s (NRHA) list of top 20 rural community hospitals. The nationwide list used factors like quality, patient perspective, cost and financial stability to determine honorees.
KA sat down with senior project manager James Ericson to learn more about the project.
Can you tell us more about the addition and remodel to Brookings Health System?
The project consisted of a hospital addition and a new, 2-story medical office building. The inpatient addition included labor delivery rooms on the second floor, and three operating rooms with full surgical capabilities, new MRI imaging suites, and two radiation rooms on the first floor. We also added a welcoming and spacious common entrance to both the hospital and medical office building. The existing first floor was remodeled to serve various functions in the hospital.
How do you feel these renovations and additions help serve the Brookings community?
The treatment rooms are state-of-the-art and provide much more expansive care to the community. The space is open and welcoming, with the comfort and care of the patient being a top priority. Giving the community these resources and options close to home improves healthcare outcomes and makes it much easier and less expensive for the patient and family than going out of town to seek the same treatment.
How was the community involved in the upgrades to Brookings Health System?
One of our goals for the project was to engage the local community in the construction as much as possible. So, we were very involved from the outset to create the right opportunities for our local business partners. We are pleased to report that about 85 percent of the labor was local. It brought a sense of pride that the hospital was built by the community it serves.
Were there any unique or interesting aspects to the hospital design?
We added a feature to the front entry. It’s a big limestone wall with Brookings Health System core values on it, such as compassion, leadership, quality, and teamwork. It’s about 20 feet high and 15 feet wide. It sits right next to the grand stair that goes up to the second floor. It really makes a statement when you walk in, and it’s a unique way to convey the Brookings Health System brand.
Brookings Health System was ranked among the top 20 rural hospitals in the country. What does that mean for the local community?
This award is quite an honor. It is a testament to the quality of care Brookings Health System provides to the community. We are very honored and humbled that Kraus-Anderson was able to help create a space that reflects Brookings Health System’s values and commitment to their patients. In the end, less travel time and more treatment options provide the patient with a better and more comfortable environment to heal close to family, and minimizes interruptions in their lives.
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