Pinckneyville Hospital Ready to File for Certificate of Need

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The Pinckneyville Community Hospital board will know the costs of its planned 110,000 square foot hospital by March 2009, will file for its certificate of need by mid year and hopes to begin construction in March 2010.

Hospital administrator Tom Hudgins believes its a leap of faith worth taking in an economy that promises to be no better in 2009 and in a climate of resistance. Yet, he is not alone in dreaming big.

Du Quoin Community Unit District 300 superintendent Gary Kelly had the same mindset in working toward a new middle school and believes funding will come for a new high school. Marshall Browning Hospital board president Harold Rice and administrator Bill Huff said Du Quoin deserved a modern hospital. It was opened last year. The list goes on to include the Southern Illinois Center at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds and the new Illinois State Police headquarters and shooting range.

It may never come to fruition, but even Toney Watkins still believes in a state of the art entertainment complex in west Perry County.

At the very least--like it or not--west Perry County will be on the doorstep of the Metro East area by the next generation.

Be ready.

But, can we afford to be $33 million ready--or even $50 million ready--when equipment is moved and the new hospital outfitted?

$33,685,656 to be exact.

Hudgins believes we can.

Nashville, Tenn.- based Gresham Smith & Partners, the hospital's architect, has made three visits to the Pinckneyville Community Hospital in recent weeks to establish the needs of a new hospital and to fully identify the costs of making such a move. "They are getting drawings developed," Hudgins said.

The builder will be Robins Morton, Inc. also of Nashville,Tenn.

The hospital will be built on a 30-acre tract near the intersection of White Walnut Road and Rt. 154.

"We are hoping for a start date of March 2010 and we hope to have the final cost projections by March 2009. The board has authorized me to forward a letter of intent to the Illinois healthcare facilities board. We hope to submit our application for the certificate of need by May 2009," he said.

Hudgins added his office is trying to access a federal Housing and Urban Development program called HUD 242. The program would serve as co-sponsor of the hospital for borrowing purposes. It serves to guarantee payment of the bonds and, according to Hudgins, should make investors more comfortable and result in a lower interest rate.

He adds that the economy may work in the hospital's favor. Materials and equipment are cheaper and many capital construction bids are starting to come in under estimates.

He said all of these things "should help us in the marketplace."

The Pinckneyville Community Hospital board announces a contract with a new family practice physician. Dr. Salva Bilal, finishing a residency at Creighton in Omaha, will sign on with the hospital August 1.