OBH making progress on capital improvements

Published 1:12 pm Tuesday, August 20, 2024

ILWACO — Ocean Beach Hospital and Medical Clinics (OBHMC), serving South Pacific County’s healthcare needs for 90 years, is moving forward simultaneously on four major capital projects. The projects were made possible by the capital facilities bond that passed by an overwhelming majority (70.5%) of voters in August 2023.

“We’re making good progress and moving ahead as quickly as possible,” said interim CEO Larry Cohen. “Our priority is maximizing the impact of the bond dollars, ensuring the most essential improvements to our healthcare facilities that will benefit our community now and well into the future.”

The foremost and costliest of the projects is a newly constructed, two-story, 10,000-square-foot addition to the Ilwaco Medical Clinic. Plans call for a self-contained unit with its own entrance to house Ocean Beach Urgent Care, fulfilling a long-held dream for many in the community. The expansion also includes installing an elevator and shelling in the clinic’s upper floor, realizing future cost savings for a reconfiguration that could accommodate additional primary care providers and medical specialists.

The project farthest along is a 580-square-foot expansion of the laboratory. With bids in and the winning contractor notified, the contract is being executed, and the project will soon be submitted for approval by the Washington State Department of Health. Approval could take two or more months, after which construction can begin. The project will be completed within 60 days after receiving approval.

The nursing station and hospital pharmacy project, funded in part by a grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, is 85% designed and will be the next project to go out for bid.

Important upgrades to the two-room operating suite are also in the works. This project involves an upgrade to the air-exchange system, surgical booms, new OR lights in both operating rooms, and more. The anticipated time frame for completion is second quarter 2025. The booms and lights are being paid for in part by the Ocean Beach Hospital Foundation, which is organizing an online auction starting Sept. 10 as part of its “Light Up the ER” fundraising campaign.

“We’re thrilled to see the progress being made on these impactful healthcare projects,” said Nancy Gorshe, OBHMC Board Chair. “Our commitment to delivering high quality medical care locally drives our decisions. The community’s support, embracing the fact that this is their healthcare system, has been remarkable.”

As a Public Hospital District undertaking public bond-funded capital projects, OBHMC follows strict processes and procedures for all projects exceeding $75,000, as outlined in RCW 70.44.140. Projects over $350,000 require a robust bid process, ensuring the lowest cost possible from contractors with a proven track record for the work needed.

“The process is more involved than building a privately funded commercial structure,” said Cohen. “From design plans and submissions to construction, local and state regulatory compliance, inspections, and opening, each step may require additional multi-agency approvals and permitting. It adds many months to the project timeframe compared to typical projects.

“Still, it’s exciting to see how much is being accomplished, especially on projects that were merely a list of ideas on paper a few short years ago. None of this work would have been possible without the community’s passing of the $10 million bond measure in August 2023.”