New Medical Facility for Dickinson | Video

Alex Hagan | 10/12/2012

For 100 years, St. Joseph`s Hospital in Dickinson has been serving the community and handling economic growth. However, the number of people using the Emergency Room has quadrupled. Nurses also say they need better visibility from the nurses station as well as better equipment.

"Flow hasn`t been the greatest. The supplies aren`t in an easy spot for us to get to all the time as nurses," said nurse Shelly Jacobson.

Surgical rooms are in need of more space too, because not only are the number of surgeries up, equipment is also getting in their way.

"This facility is wonderful, but we need somewhere to have extensive equipment," said Director of Surgery Deeanna Opstedahl.

But that`s all about to change. Hospital administrators have announced their plans for a new 25 bedroom facility and office building to accommodate the community. Even before the economic activity hit the state, plans for a new hospital had been in the works.

"There had been plans for years to put in the drawing board a new facility and just with the oil activity coming around the corner here it`s kind of escalated and the actual new building," said campaign chair Craig Steve.

Most of the equipment for surgeons will hang from the ceiling and will be updated to handle more severe trauma. The facility couldn`t come at a better time.

"Now is the time, it is the time that is needed. The community has recognized the need and we have strong support within the community financially as well as other supports," Steve said.

Healthcare providers can`t wait for the new facility to be built.

"We`ll be able to give better care, with better equipment," Jacobson said.

"The new facility is going to make it so that it`s easier for us in the flow of materials that we have and the instruments that we have," Opstedahl said.

The equipment nurses and surgeons are using is still working right now, but with this new facility, residents in the southwest part of the state will have better healthcare.

Hospital administrators say they plan to have the office building finished next fall.

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