Progress on Dayton General Hospital's campus projects

DAYTON-CCHS CEO Shane McGuire provided the Hospital District board with a project update at their February meeting.

The floor in the Dayton General Hospital Emergency Department was replaced in February. The old flooring was roughly nine years old and was showing significant wear. It was also becoming a risk for infection due to large gaps and cracks in the seams.

The hospital's new generator will be delivered in the middle of March, and Nelson Construction of Walla Walla, will pour a pad for it.

Nelson Construction is the contractor for the new dental clinic at the Columbia Family Clinic in Dayton. Construction on the clinic began in January. The clinic should be ready in June to treat Medicaid patients.

McGuire said job descriptions for a Dentist, Dental Hygienist, and Dental Assistant had been completed.

Attorneys are currently reviewing the details of the Assisted Living Facility lease agreement with Ron Asmus, REA. Asmus is the building contractor for the units to be constructed adjacent to Dayton General Hospital to the north.

McGuire said Asmus had cleared most of the hurdles with the City of Dayton. On Mar. 16, a hearing examiner will review the file and the application and consider the staff recommendation. Afterward, a determination with conditions of approval can be made. Assuming there are no appeals to the decision, applications for a construction permit can be filed.

John McLean, Principal Architect at Blue Room Architecture & Design, is working on a hallway design connecting the hospital with the Booker Rest Home. Two rooms will be created off the hallway to isolate and treat patients with COVID-19 or other infectious diseases.

McGuire said a kickoff meeting was held for the implementation schedule and the procedure for handling the med air/med gas and suction projects without negatively affecting patient care. Patients will benefit from the planned upgrade to the oxygen plant at the hospital. The plant supplies oxygen to all patient rooms. Adding medical air systems will improve patient breathing treatments and outcomes for patients in cardiopulmonary distress and those on ventilators. The suction upgrade is a required element for the care of patients with respiratory illness, he said.