HOISINGTON – Intravenous therapy is the fastest way to deliver medications, blood products, etc., into the bloodstream to treat various health conditions. Over the last several years, Clara Barton Medical Center in Hoisington has seen a dramatic increase in these outpatient services and outgrew its current treatment area in the Emergency Department.
Thanks to a $132,000 Sunderland Foundation grant secured by the Clara Barton Foundation, plans to expand outpatient IV therapy services are underway.
Clara Barton Medical Center began its $15 million expansion and renovation project in April - with primary goals to update the layout and utilize space more efficiently. The current area used for outpatient care in the ED is limited to an 8x13, 104-square-foot room with two chairs - and can no longer accommodate the volume of patients needing IV therapy. Thanks to the grant awarded by the Sunderland Foundation, the redesign and construction of outpatient services and the IV infusion area will tentatively begin in February.
“Right now, we lack the physical space required to treat the number of patients needing these types of services comfortably,” said Paula Hofmeister, Emergency Room director. “We average around 250 patients a month that utilize our IV therapy services. We’re grateful to have the support of the Sunderland Foundation because this expansion will make it possible for these patients to receive high-quality care in a convenient, private setting close to home.”
The Sunderland Foundation was established in 1945 by Lester T. Sunderland, the highly respected president of the Ash Grove Cement Company for 33 years. Since its establishment, the Sunderland Foundation has focused on supporting brick and mortar projects and awarding grants to nonprofits in the Kansas City region and other areas the Ash Grove Cement Company does business.
Clara Barton has added several services over the years that often utilize the Emergency Department - including interventional radiology, rheumatology, and lymphedema treatment. With the addition of General Surgeon Dr. Roxanne Stiles increasing the number of surgeries performed, along with an active wound care program, and rising physician referrals, the volume of patients needing IV treatment has already far exceeded what the current space can accommodate.
“What are we most looking forward to with this upcoming expansion? Space,” said Hofmeister. “Our patients currently receive IV therapy in a small, cramped treatment room, and many of these patients are often immunocompromised, meaning they have a weakened immune system. With that and the current pandemic, only one of the two chairs can be used at a time for treatment, greatly limiting the number of patients we can see and causing difficulty in scheduling.”
With assistance from the Sunderland Grant, the expansion will increase the IV treatment area by 930 square feet. allowing for: a multi-function procedure room to be available for both IV Therapy and ER patient care, a large infusion treatment room with three IV treatment chairs, a private infusion treatment room, a nursing station, and a private restroom. These renovations will create a more comfortable, relaxed space for patients to receive outpatient services and considerably enhance patient satisfaction.
Group IV therapy will also be available, as it can be an integral part of disease recovery - something the current ER layout also restricts. The expanded layout will offer both a large treatment area, including three IV treatment chairs, and a private, single-chair IV therapy room to be used for immunocompromised patients. In addition, there will be another multi-purpose procedure room available as an overflow ER room or private IV treatment room, when necessary.
“We are immensely grateful to receive this grant, and it is truly remarkable to witness what the Sunderland Foundation has done for Clara Barton Medical Center and the Hoisington community,” said Michelle Moshier, Clara Barton Hospital Foundation Executive Director. “Our staff is thrilled that we now have the opportunity to transform our ER, allowing us to grow and better serve our patients. Thanks to the Sunderland Foundation, we can continue to invest in rural healthcare and provide exceptional care to the surrounding communities that rely on us.”
As construction progresses, administrative office space has been re-allocated to the IV fusion therapy/ED expansion. The offices affected include the CEO, Foundation Director, Accounting, Human Resources, and Public Relations. All have made temporary offices in other areas until the expansion is complete.
In the meantime, the Foundation Director will be at 165 W. 7th Street in Hoisington.
