Allen County Regional Hospital: A NEW ERA FOR HEALTH CARE

Friday’s stiff north wind didn’t deter a hearty crowd from witnessing the morning’s dedication ceremonies for the new Allen County Regional Hospital.
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran credited the citizens of Allen County for being an “inspiration to Congress,” in their cooperation in supporting the new facility.
“Something tells me politics didn’t come into play. It didn’t matter who was a Republican or Democrat. Instead, the public good was your focus.
“This hospital is not only for current residents, but for future generations to come. People you will never see will benefit from the decisions you have made today,” Moran said.
“Access to affordable health care is the most important survival tool for a community,” Moran said. “Every rural community is struggling to stay alive. The future of Allen County is secured by what you have done today.”

ABOUT 300 gathered for the ceremony on hospital grounds.
Harry Lee, chairman of hospital trustees, said “it has been a wonderul challenge to bring this facility to fruition.”
Mary Kay Heard, a member of the Uniting for Excellence fundraising campaign, noted $2,203,101.26 has been raised so far to purchase equipment for the new hospital and establish a $1 million endowment.
“The gifts were of all sizes, but every giver’s heart was big,” Heard said.
Heard noted the campaign to build a new hospital began almost four years ago.
After the ceremonies, hospital staff conducted tours of the new hospital throughout the day.

PLANS to open the hospital for business were Oct. 29, but may suffer a setback because of a failure by AT&T to complete installation of necessary connections, said Lee later on Friday afternoon.
“They’re still struggling to get service available,” he said.
Lee said the phone company was given notice of the Oct. 29 opening more than six months ago.
If AT&T cannot act with haste, the opening of the hospital may be delayed until the first of the year.
When Sen. Moran was made aware of the snafu, he said he would try to use his relationship with the president of the Kansas division of AT&T to influence the company’s actions to make the hospital a top priority.