North Valley Hospital footprint appears

North Valley Hospital's contractor has completed a footprint from which a new hospital will grow.

Carol Blake, head of the hospital's foundation, said the general contractor, Swank Enterprises, is close to bringing in cement trucks as site work wraps up.

Roadways still are under construction.

"We're still on schedule," Blake said. "Construction is moving forward."

The schedule calls for erecting the steel structure during September and October. Exterior sheathing goes on next to enclose the building for work during December.

"Landscaping will come in about a year from now," she said.

Blake said opening dates range from October 2006 to spring 2007, depending on weather and other variables.

North Valley's new building

replaces the three-decades-old facility near downtown Whitefish. Construction at a new location was the most cost-effective alternative among several options considered.

The 45-acre hospital site lies behind a screen of trees near the intersection of U.S. 93 and Montana 40. It allows room for growth and good access for Whitefish and Columbia Falls patients.

Plans call for a 72,000-square-foot facility built on a single level. The design reflects the Plane Tree philosophy adopted by the board during 2002, which emphasized a healing environment for the mind, spirit and body. As a result, the design includes features such as rooms with French doors, gardens and homelike appointments. The replacement hospital carries a price tag of about $26 million.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development continues to review North Valley's application for a construction loan from a program for rural hospitals, Blake said.

HUD seemed near approval several months ago when a rule-making process by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid appeared to threaten North Valley Hospital's critical-access certification.

The designation allows rural hospitals to recover from Medicare and Medicaid a greater percentage of their costs of care. Without these extra dollars, North Valley's financial feasibility was in question.

In a draft ruling from the agency, the hospital would keep its critical-access designation at the new location.

The comment period on the new rule has expired. A final ruling becomes effective in August.

Blake said the Medicare and Medicaid agency received a number of comments nationwide from hospitals fearing the loss of their critical-access status granted, like North Valley's, under a state waiver program.

"That really has no effect on us," Blake said.

Although still waiting for loan approval during May, the hospital board decided to proceed with groundbreaking and site work.

The foundation continues to raise money from the community to reduce the anticipated debt burden on the hospital.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.