KENNETT, Mo. -- Hospital leaders Friday provided an update on the operations of Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center, saying inpatient, emergency room or hospital-based outpatient services will no longer be available after 11:59 p.m. Monday.
During the city council meeting Tuesday night, Dunklin County Commissioner Don Collins addressed the council to discuss a proposed county tax to be placed on the August 7 ballot.
Collins explained after studying every approach and option available that the County Commission's only option was a tax proposition, which he explained, could cover the construction and operations for a new hospital facility. "Nobody else is going to help the county to build a facility," Collins said. "It's going to be up to us."
What the Commission proposed was passing Proposition Health, which is a half-cent capital improvement sales tax to cover the estimated costs of $10 to $12 million for the construction and also pass Proposition Care, a half-cent property tax.
"In order for this to be approved, it's important for the residents to know that both items have to pass," said Collins. "We can't pass one without the other and still be able to do what needs to be done."
Collins addressed questions from the council as to who would operate the facility.
"We do not want to manage a hospital," Collins said. "The Commission will hire professional management to run the facility," he added. Collins advised this would be done by a contract deal and the County would oversee that to make sure the residents get the most for their tax dollar.
"Fee structure is key," Collins said. "We know how the fee structure caused patients to seek treatment elsewhere, as well causing local physicians to send their patients to surrounding facilities in order to be more cost effective."
Collins said if passed, the construction process is expected to take anywhere from 12-18 months to build and it would be constructed on the Compress property, generously donated by the City of Kennett.
Collins explained how the Commission checked into other cities and compared options with how they are operated. Collins advised the counties that include Wynne, Ark. and Walnut Ridge, Ark. have used sales taxes to subsidize operations.
"We know we have to have a funding source in order to entice a management company to come here and run the hospital. Proposition Care takes care of that funding," Collins said.
If the voters come together and pass these taxes, a new hospital will be built, complete with an emergency department, three to 10 inpatient rooms, two surgical rooms, imaging services, a laboratory, as well as a pharmacy.
The only thing that's not included in this potential first phase, is an OB department.
"One reason is that it is very expensive," Collins said. "The second reason is because we have been working with Pemiscot Memorial, helping them reopen their OB department that will cover both counties when our hospital closes," Collins added.
Collins said there will be plenty of room at the site for future expansion with this new facility.
"One thing I want our residents to understand is that after July 1, if you have a medical emergency and dial 911, when the ambulance arrives they will be asking you or your family members which hospital you want to be transported to, because they cannot take you to the Urgent Care facility," Collins said. "Now if you are taken to the Urgent Care by personal transportation, you can be transported by ambulance from there to an area hospital," he added.
Local physicians will open a 24-hour Urgent Care center, Advanced Patient Care Urgent Care, starting July 1 and will be located at 304 Teaco Road.
Mayor Bob Hancock again stressed how important it's going to be for voters to get out and get behind this if the residents of Dunklin County want to have a feasible, new, cost effective hospital.
"This is going to take effort from everybody," Hancock said. "But it's only going to happen if we get the vote out," he stressed.
Hancock went on to say how proud the resident have made him since learning the local hospital was closing.
"It tickled me to death to see everyone come together for this," he said. "The Commission has done their work and are doing the best they can to look after the residents of our great city and this county," he added.