Regional hospital continues to expand, renovate

COLUMBIA — In October 1972, 22 physicians lined up in front of a wooded 7-acre lot east of U.S. 63. Golden shovels in hands, they broke ground on what would become Columbia Regional Hospital.

Two years and $5.1 million later, there stood a 184-bed private hospital that had been financed by 23 doctors from Columbia and surrounding communities and Medenco Inc., a hospital management company out of Houston, Texas. Carol Clark, purchasing manager of Missouri Health Care and employee for almost 34 years, said these physicians believed the city needed more room. Some of the doctors had to create a waiting list for elective surgeries because of a lack of facilities.

With the addition of the hospital, the Missourian reported at that time, the Columbia area offered one bed for every 36 persons, second only to Rochester, Minn., which offers the Mayo clinics. The success of the competitors in a rural area depended on growth. Clark said the area grew as hoped.

“In fact, I know that there were times when we had to put patients in conference rooms and alcoves,” Clark said.

What began as a solution to lack of space has grown into a full service acute care facility with 279 physicians. It also houses a family birthing center, an extensive 36-bed neonatal intensive care unit, a newly opened in vitro fertilization center and a newly renovated orthopedic service.

Keri Simon, the executive director of Columbia Regional, said it’s obvious the community has grown and with it the hospital expanded.

In 1980, Columbia Regional Hospital began a $10.3 million expansion plan. Out of this development came 117 more beds, new radiology and laboratory equipment, expansion of the physical therapy unit, construction of three outpatient surgical suites and a nursing tower.

Then in 1999, MU bought Regional from Tenet Healthcare Corp. Simon said Tenet was trying to conserve money by continuing ownership of its larger hospitals in the same geographic area and selling the others. So Regional was put up for bid.

Simon, who has worked at Regional for 11 years, said that MU did not have enough capacity and that is was more cost effective for MU to buy Regional than to build new.

Simon said there were many benefits to this change. All employees kept their jobs, received better benefits through the University and kept previously scheduled vacation time.

Beyond the individual benefits, the hospital as a whole also saw improvements.

“Before, we were part of a health system but not with anybody that was in our geographic region." Simon said. "And to have a health system in town where you can really share the best of each facility back and forth with a five- or 10-minute drive really has a lot of benefits."

For example, Simon said this move gives Regional and MU the advantage of collaboration and shared facilities, the newest equipment and a wide range of employees who specialize in a variety of departments.

Besides the positive aspects, the change also had its challenges.

“The negative side was just a culture change trying to blend what has historically been a private practice community hospital and the academic world together." Simon said. "That’s probably one of the biggest challenges we have encountered."

Simon said Regional has always prided itself as being a positive community alternative to health care.

“It is a very community, family-feel kind of place." Simon said. "Employees love working here. Patients and visitors find it easy to get around. Everybody is smiling at each other and talking to each other in the hallways. I think that’s something I find unique in this community and in this facility compared to other ones I have been in.”

Simon said constantly promoting customer service has been a priority to the mission of the community feel and the growth of this hospital.

In November 2003, MU decided to move the obstetrics department to Regional, which, like most departments in the hospital, houses both private doctors and University doctors. Since the move of the obstetrics department, the neonatal intensive care unit moved and the hospital opened an in vitro fertilization center there.

“It is a service that is a better fit in a community-feel hospital,” Simon said. “The environment is different.”
Simon said every year since the move there has been significant growth in the volume of patients.

Then, last spring, the hospital began a $6.5 million renovation of the fourth floor for its orthopedics services. This included a complete redesign of the floor that now includes all private rooms with more amenities, a redesigned nurses’ station, a large common area and an expanded gym for therapy activities. The first phase of the project was finished in December, and the second phase and the rest of the floor will open in June.

Although the other hospitals in town have their own specialties, Simon said the competition benefits Columbia.

“The more providers you have, the more cutting edge everybody stays and the better the health care for the community is because everybody is challenged to have the latest technology and do things the best way,” Simon said.