Hospital Proceeds with Plans to Upgrade

DAYTON – Directors of the Columbia County Health System are moving forward with upgrades to Dayton General Hospital. The board unanimously agreed on Thursday that hospital district executives should secure an architect to draw up plans for the project using the Stroudwater Report submitted to the board by an independent consultant firm in April.

Financial reports prepared for the board indicated, as expected, that the hospital's imaging, lab and physical therapy departments contributed significantly to the district's profits in 2014, interim CEO Jon Smiley explained. The Stroudwater Report emphasizes development of these departments.

Board members agreed on the importance of concentrating on urgent care, swapping emergency room and administrative entrances, and constructing a physical therapy pool. They also agreed with Smiley, who recommended that relocating food service, estimated to cost nearly $500,000, be put on the back burner at this time.

For a full report on this meeting and the board's plans, see the coming issue (June 4) of The Times.