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HAMC to celebrate grand opening with ribbon cutting

By Staff | Aug 24, 2024

Angie Reinoehl/PCT Daniel Lukens, project engineer for JE Dunn Construction, shows the blueprints while the hospital was still under construction in January.

Heart of America Medical Center will celebrate its grand opening Tuesday, Aug. 27, with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Construction of the 77,000-square-foot critical access hospital broke ground in mid-2022, with JLG Architects and contractor JE Dunn. JLG’s architectural planning was led by Healthcare Practice Studio Leader Todd Medd, who grew up in Rugby and was born in the original Heart of America Medical Center. Several other design team members are also from Rugby or connected to the community, including JLG’s CEO Michelle Mongeon Allen, architect Helen White and the project’s principal electrical engineer, Andy Bartsch of CMTA.

Heart of America Medical Center (HAMC), a non-profit healthcare facility founded by the Good Samaritan Hospital Association, was first built in 1948 to provide medical services to more than 13,000 people within a 50-mile radius of Rugby. The original HAMC was a licensed 25-bed critical access hospital, surgical suite and nursing facility supported by more than 20 area churches of various denominations.

Due to fragmented additions and the larger, inefficient footprint of the older building, HAMC had experienced Medicare reimbursement challenges, as well as ongoing and costly maintenance issues.

The new HAMC, located on the east edge of Rugby, anticipates a right-sized space, improved operational efficiency, expanded healthcare services, state-of-the-art healthcare technology and community-driven amenities to enhance the patient and provider experience. The facility also focuses its footprint on a future of more outpatient versus inpatient services.

“The new medical center recently constructed in Rugby represents the future of rural medicine,” HAMC CEO Erk Christenson said. “It is designed to meet the primary healthcare needs of a rural community with efficient, cost-effective care that will allow for longevity of service. I am extremely proud of what the community of Rugby has accomplished in partnering with our architect group and builders in creating a state-of-the-art facility that will be an archetype for rural primary care.”

The New Heart of America Medical Center Includes:

-A cutting-edge hospital, clinic and care center that will help recruit and retain top talent.

-An enhanced surgical department with the capacity of growing into orthopedics.

-A new cancer center that will keep chemotherapy treatment close to home.

-A new, residential-style swing bed department known as the Living Center.

-An enhanced entrance and a more visible front door.

-A therapy department and 24/7 wellness center that is easily accessible, filled with natural light, and features space for equipment, a walking track and a pediatric gym.

-Back-of-house staffing and respite areas that increase efficiencies and workplace well-being.

-A Main Street design for simplified circulation and wayfinding, with a “Grab-N-Go” community cafe.

-Strategically located departments that allow nursing staff to transition quickly from emergency services to acute care, radiology and the Living Center.

-One floor for enhanced safety, security and cross-department collaboration.

-Daylit spaces that promote patient and employee well-being.

“Like many rural healthcare systems battling rising healthcare costs, HAMC was financially burdened and unable to grow care in alignment with need. Workforce shortages and retention were a major challenge, and it was time to further invest in healthcare technologies,” said Todd Medd, JLG Architects. “Our goal was always patient-focused spaces and staff efficiency, which led us to a restrained, yet graceful design that is contextually aligned to reflect values that have built this community. With modernized medical services, patient-focused spaces, and community-inspired gathering areas, we believe the heart of Rugby will soon be Heart of America Medical Center.”

JLG led design workshops, community engagement events and virtual reality and in-person mockups during the project’s development. This feedback-driven process allowed each department to see inside the design, walk through the new space and make requests for adjustments before moving into design finalization and construction.

U.S. Department of Agriculture funding and financing for the project was locked in before inflation could affect interest rates, avoiding rates that would have nearly doubled if the team had waited to proceed.

“In Rugby, we faced several unique challenges that larger health systems do not face, including additional barriers in funding and manpower. These larger systems know how to build buildings, leverage financing opportunities, and find capital. They generally have better ratings to get the capital at a better value, so for rural hospitals, it really takes a groundswell in the community to build that energy. In Rugby, it started with the board and community leaders,” Medd said. “I’m proud to say the new Heart of America Medical Center found the support it needed from local bankers and businesses that stepped up to ensure a successful outcome. They truly understood the long-term impact and how much our community and surrounding communities needed this hospital to sustain growth and meet expanded healthcare needs.”

“HAMC is not just a new, cutting-edge hospital for Rugby. In a sense, it’s also a community center, where people can meet in the ‘Main Street’ corridor, grab lunch at the cafe, or workout at the 24/7 wellness center,” added JLG’s Shauntel Fett. “The new Heart of America Medical Center is a really special and welcoming place that brings the entire community together.”