New hospital nearing completion

The first sod was turned for construction of the new healthcare facility in Ekalaka back in September of 2019. The project is now nearing the finish line, with substantial completion expected by April 30.

The goal for Dahl Memorial Healthcare Association to move into the new building, Carter County Healthcare Facility, is sometime in June. The move in date is fluid, Dahl CEO Ryan Tooke explained, because they do not know exactly when all of the new equipment will be moved in, and when all of that equipment will be fully operational.

Tooke plans on executing several mock drills with staff in the new building to ensure that all of the systems and equipment are working properly before Dahl officially moves in.

"We'll be doing several practice runs," he said. "We want to make sure we have everything we need in each room."

In May, systems and equipment will start being installed, including telephones, beds, networking, ER equipment and the X-ray machine, to name a few.

Once that checklist is completed the new hospital facility, made possible by the bond issue that county residents voted on and passed in November of 2018, will open in Ekalaka.