Published: May 13, 2008 09:57 am         

One down, two projects to go at hospital

Dialysis center is part of $22M renovation

KALKASKA -- Sam Guy sat in a treatment chair at the new dialysis center at Kalkaska Memorial Health Center for his three-times-a-week blood treatment, a day before his 70th birthday.

"This is really nice, really handy and convenient," he said.

Guy recently moved from his longtime home in Bellaire to Kalkaska to be closer to the new dialysis center at the hospital. It's better than the 83 round-trip miles he formerly traveled to Traverse City for treatment.

"It's a big plus with the price of gas," Guy said.

The $1.5 million dialysis center is one of three major construction projects at the hospital, the first to be completed and opened to patients. There already are 20 patients there, using the 12-chair facility that's open three days per week.

"We're hoping to go to six days, possibly by the end of the summer," said Leeanna Henke, dialysis center unit clerk.

The demand is there, including calls from out-of-towners who want to schedule treatment while they visit northern Michigan, Henke said.

Additionally, a new 33,000-square-foot outpatient addition will be finished by the end of the year and ground will be broken in June on a new assisted living center for seniors.

Construction on the outpatient addition began last August and workers labored during winter months. The work is on schedule and on budget, said project manager Brad Kranig, from the Christman Company in Traverse City.

The three construction projects collectively will cost the hospital $22 million, paid for with a special 1.6-mill levy, approved by 70-percent of voters last year, said Sheila Atwood, assistant hospital administrator.

"It's exciting for our community to provide these services close to home, especially with the cost of gas and the economy," she said.

Outpatient services will increase to include a mobile MRI, additional specialists and two operating rooms for colonoscopy procedures and eye surgery. Doctors are expected to begin using the operating rooms in 2009.

The radiology department and the laboratory also will be renovated during the construction work, plus there will be a new cardiac rehabilitation center in the basement, Atwood said.

The planned 34-unit assisted living center already has 10 names on a waiting list. It will require as many as 15 new hospital employees, Atwood said.