As published in Toledo Business Journal - January 1, 2019
Hardin Memorial Hospital in Kenton
OhioHealth invests $3.6M in Hardin Memorial Hospital
OhioHealth is investing $3.6 million in OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital and the OhioHealth Hardin Medical offices located in Kenton. The project entails renovating 8,500 square feet of space in its medical office building (MOB) located north of the hospital, totaling $1.3 million, as well as renovating 6,000 square feet to relocate its administrative offices, making way for a new 2,630 square foot infusion center, totaling $2.3 million.
Akron-based GDP Group is the architect for the project with Bellefontaine-based Thomas and Marker Construction serving as the general contractor.
Medical Office Building
The current project at the OhioHealth Hardin Memorial MOB began in October and is scheduled to be complete by the end of March.
Ron Snyder, chief operating officer of OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital, said, “The renovation is opening up the space to be able to house OhioHealth primary care physicians who will be relocating to this building and the new space will allow the potential of another new primary care physician. The need for this project is access to care for our community and to modernize the offices, as the last time the building had any renovations was 2001.”
According to facilities manager, Brock Manns, the building will now be ADA compliant and will feature a total of 19 exam rooms. This project is the start of incorporating a standard palette of colors and will have a stone wall incorporating OhioHealth branding. He also noted that the entire building will have all new LED lighting accompanied by occupancy sensors.
“This project is being done in two phases. The building has four separate suites which houses different practices, with the initial phase beginning in suite 101, which consisted mainly of updating the flooring, painting, and furnishings. This suite now houses Kenton Family Practice (Dr. Paul Wesson). Dr. Wesson’s Kenton practice has always been in this building, but he just moved suites. His previous space is completely renovated and OhioHealth heart and vascular physician, Phil Perona, MD will move into the newly renovated suite,” said Manns. “Also, during this phase, 14 new parking spaces and four LED parking lot poles were added, as well as a new roof. The second phase of the project began in December and will consist of creating office space to allow for other physician practices, including OhioHealth primary care physicians Christina Crum, MD; Jeffrey Neuhauser, MD; and Corey McMurray, PA, to move into the new space.”
Snyder also noted that this project shows the commitment that OhioHealth has to invest in the community and will provide it with a state-of-the-art primary care office with the ability to recruit another provider.
“Provider recruitment to a rural area can be challenging and this new space will give us leverage to assist with that,” said Snyder.
Rendering of the planned infusion center at Hardin Memorial Hospital
Administrative Office and Infusion Center
The administrative office project began at the end of December and the infusion center is set to begin in March, with completion scheduled for the fall.
“The first phase – the administrative offices – began in December. The crews began to renovate the second floor in the south wing of the hospital in order for the administration department to move back to the area and so construction can begin for the infusion center. The second phase, scheduled to begin in April 2019, will consist of the creation of the infusion center,” said Manns.
Snyder noted that as part of keeping cancer care local in the Hardin County community, Dr. Farrukh Ashraf, an MD Anderson Cancer Network® certified physician, practicing at certified hospital OhioHealth Marion General Hospital started seeing patients in the Hardin Specialty Center in August 2017. As cancer services continue to grow and is a continued need in the community, Hardin Memorial decided to create an infusion center to support chemotherapy and non-chemotherapy infusions.
According to Snyder, patients will be able to have chemotherapy infusions, non-chemotherapy infusions, and blood transfusions in a dedicated infusion space with six private infusion bays.
“As cancer patients often need supportive services, included in the infusion center space is a multidisciplinary conference room which will have space for future telemedicine opportunities, navigation support, chemotherapy education, and space for an American Cancer Society ‘Look Good Feel Better’ program. Also included in the project are facility upgrades to the current pharmacy in order to provide the equipment and space needed to safely mix chemotherapy agents. This upgrade will be done in coordination with the timing of the infusion center space construction,” said Snyder.
He also noted that adding specialized infusion services locally will provide access for its cancer patients and allow them to receive the treatment they need without leaving the Hardin community.
Snyder stated, “Being a member hospital of OhioHealth gives us access to world renowned physicians and care.”
OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital and OhioHealth
With a staff of more than 200, OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital is able to provide acute and short-term skilled care, a full range of outpatient diagnostic and therapeutic services utilizing state-of-the-art technology, rehabilitation, and physical therapy services, as well as numerous community programs and services. The 24-hour emergency department is staffed by nurses and physicians specially trained in emergency care. Hardin Memorial also offers the convenience of a multi-specialty center in which a variety of specialists are able to treat and diagnose patients locally.
Hardin Memorial was recognized by The Chartis Center for Rural Health and the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) for overall excellence in patient perspective. Hardin Memorial was among 18 Ohio rural providers recognized for overall excellence in 2018.
Hardin Memorial is a member hospital of OhioHealth – a nationally recognized, non-profit, charitable, healthcare outreach of the United Methodist Church – and is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. As a part of a developing community-based health care system, the hospital provides the needed healthcare services or links residents to services not available in the county.
