(Guthrie Co.) U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development’s Iowa State Director Michael Sexton on Wednesday participated in a groundbreaking ceremony at the worksite for Guthrie County Hospital’s expansion and renovation.
Last August, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the Department would lend the hospital $37 million through the Community Facilities Direct Loans and Guaranteed Loans program to help make the project possible.
“This critical project is going to have a direct and positive impact on the health and safety of Iowans in Guthrie County and surrounding counties,” said Sexton. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Rollins, USDA is making good on our commitment to infrastructure and support for healthcare in rural Iowa.”
The Community Facilities Direct Loans and Guaranteed Loans program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. The funding here will support:
-A 16,000 square foot addition to include a behavioral health room in the ER, an MRI room, exam rooms, and lab space
-Updates to the nurse call technology, new digital master and area alarm panels, and new sleep ventilators
-A fire suppression system for the ambulance garage
-Renovations to the dining hall and kitchen
