South Sunflower County Hospital is making new history.
Last Friday, the community gathered on the grounds outside of the newly-renovated hospital to finally cut the ribbon on its $9.5 million renovation and expansion.
“This facility has come a long ways,” said hospital administrator Courtney Phillips.
One of the hospital’s longest employees, Walter Rose, M.D., gave a brief history of the facility, which led up to the 2013 plan to overhaul the hospital.
The facility was originally known as the King’s Daughters Hospital but the name was changed to South Sunflower County Hospital in 1977.
It has been four years since the groundbreaking on the new facility and Tim Timbs, chairman of the board of directors said the new facility has exceeded all of the expectations noting that the renovated structure now houses a swing bed unit.
Timbs said that in addition to being the fourth largest employer the hospital is estimated to have a $48 million economic impact on the community.
Indianola Mayor Steve Rosenthal was among those who were given opportunity to extol on the intrinsic worth of having a local hospital and said Indianola was blessed to have wonderful medical providers and the hospital does more than provide an economic boost, it provides comfort and help to the citizens.
“What we try to do, is figure out what’s good for the community,” Phillips said during a statement.
Both he and Timbs stated that there are no current plans for future structural expansions but they would be adding more equipment and services needed to service the community, Timbs added, “Whatever the doctors need to do their job.”
