Darland recently completed a three-year expansion and remodel project at Perkins County Health Services (PCHS) in Grant, Nebraska. The more than 51,000-square-foot project included a 28,884-square-foot addition to expand services provided by the critical access hospital. 

The two-story addition includes 20 patient rooms, with dedicated spaces for labor and delivery, isolation and intensive care as well as an endoscopy suite and new emergency department with drive-up entrance. A new physical therapy area, cardio rehab center, conference room and IT office space are located in the addition's lower-level.

Renovations to the existing hospital included a new laboratory, administration area, two updated operating rooms and a specialty clinic. The entire hospital also underwent a full mechanical upgrade.

Simultaneously operating an active hospital and an active construction site comes with a host of challenges. Throughout the process, patient care remained the top priority. "Darland worked very hard with sub-contractors to keep patient care areas open and accessible-they went above and beyond," said PCHS CEO, Jim LeBrun.

Remodeling the hospital's dated operating rooms threatened to pause surgery operations and temporarily shut down OBGYN services. "This would have had a huge impact on both inpatient and outpatient services," Lebrun said. Darland worked with PCHS to bring in a mobile surgery unit. Used in military operations and by Doctors Without Borders, the mobile surgery unit was the first of its kind in the state. 

The unanticipated issues that arise during renovation proved to be the biggest challenge, LeBrun said. "Each time you open a ceiling, a wall or the floor, you don't know what you're going to find. Darland, Avant Architects and our subcontractors did a phenomenal job of coming up with solutions. We were always able to find a solution we could afford."

With the remodel complete, PCHS was able to add a full-time general surgeon on staff and offer additional services in cardiology, cardiac rehab and obstetrics. LeBrun said the updates have had a positive impact on the community and the PCHS staff. "People never imagine a medical facility like this in a town of 1,200 people."