USDA loan to assist Oklahoma city with hospital construction

12/22/2011

The city of Kiowa, Oklahoma, is in the process of obtaining a USDA loan to help fund a new hospital to replace its current dilapidated building, the Alva Review-Courier reports.

Hospital CEO Aldeen Vandeever reported that the hospital is currently in a "competitive application process" to secure a $2.5 million loan, adding that he plans to find out if his proposal is accepted sometime in February.

It's estimated that the overall cost of building a new hospital will reach $6.5 million. In order to establish additional funding, the Kiowa Hospital Foundation has started a fundraising initiative called GAP, which has already received some donations.

The existing hospital, built in 1950, has "many functional problems." The new building will be more cost-efficient and increase patient privacy. According to its contractors, the more than 25,000-square-foot facility will hold eight beds and offer one centralized entrance and nurses station. The layout will give more privacy to its emergency room wing, something that is lacking in the current structure.

It's likely that most Kiowa residents currently in need of hospital care need to travel to Elkview General Hospital in neighboring Hobart, a 38-bed facility serving approximately 10,000, according to the hospital's website.