Partners with Hale County Hospital Authority on one of largest projects in city’s history

Plainview, TX – In anticipation of the region’s growing health care needs, Covenant Health Plainview and St. Joseph Health will partner with the Hale County Hospital Authority to invest $40 million for major renovations and improvements at the hospital.

With a theme of “Growing For You!,” the organizations announced their joint plans at an event this morning (Aug. 7) on the hospital grounds. Participating in the announcement were Mark True, chair of the Covenant Health Plainview Governing Board; Jeff Tunnell, chair of the Hale County Hospital Authority; Sister Mary Therese Sweeney of St. Joseph Health; and Clay Taylor, chief executive officer of the hospital.

“Covenant Health Plainview provides compassionate care with the deepest regard for health and wellbeing of those we are so proud to serve. As part of that mission, we believe that Plainview and all of the other communities in our service area should be among the healthiest in the country. The expansion plans that we’re unveiling today reflect that commitment and our rededication to providing comprehensive and advanced health care services locally,” Taylor said. “We are gratified and honored to join the Hale County Hospital Authority on such an important effort to benefit the residents of this region.”

The Emergency Department will be expanded and completely remodeled, including a new entrance. New surgical suites, patient rooms and family areas will be built on the second floor. General renovations will occur at the main entrance and on the first, third and fourth floors as well as the basement. Spaces for sterile processing, radiology imaging and laboratory services will be remodeled and/or expanded.

“This project benefits our region on multiple fronts. Most important, it signals a commitment by the Hale County Hospital Authority to provide the finest medical services for its residents and those of surrounding areas,” said Tunnell, chair of the authority. “The project will also have positive economic impact while improving an important asset for recruiting new businesses. We believe the returns on the authority’s investment will be extremely worthwhile over the long term.”

Covenant Health Plainview to Undergo $40 Million Facility Renovation

Construction is expected to begin in early 2015. Taylor said the hospital will take what he described as “extraordinary” measures to ensure there will be no disruption in services. Taylor said the renovation project was the product of a recently completed master planning process whose overarching goals included providing space for current and new specialized medical services and administrative functions, upgrading and improving common spaces, and generally creating an exceptional experience for each patient and family.

St Joseph Health and Covenant Health Plainview will contribute $31.5 million, and $5 million will come from the hospital authority for the expansion and renovation. Additionally, the Covenant Plainview Foundation, a local non-profit organization that provides financial support for the hospital and related initiatives, will launch a private fundraising effort later this year to raise another $3.5 million for the project as well as other future specialized services, facility and staffing needs.

Sister Mary Therese Sweeney, CSJ, of St. Joseph Health Ministry and chair of the Covenant Health governing board, said the renovation project will enhance Covenant Health Plainview’s capabilities toward achieving its core mission. “A modernized facility must represent the principles that guide our entire system: respect for the dignity of the person; care for the poor and underserved; tending to a patient’s mind, body and spirit; enlightened service to the community; and providing the highest quality work environment for our people,” she said. “I am confident that this hospital will meet and exceed those standards.”

About Covenant Health Plainview

Covenant Hospital Plainview is a 68-bed community hospital that serves residents of Hale County as well as surrounding Swisher, Lamb, Castro and Floyd counties. The facility has more than 300 staff and, on average, annually performs over 3,000 surgeries, delivers 600 babies and serves 30,000 patients. The largest hospital between Lubbock and Amarillo, Covenant Health Plainview dates back to 1912. It is part of St. Joseph Health, one of the most successful not-for-profit health systems in the United States. Find Covenant Health news and story ideas in the Covenant Newsroom, on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

About St. Joseph Health

St. Joseph Health is a not-for-profit, integrated Catholic health care delivery system based in Irvine, CA and sponsored by the St. Joseph Health Ministry that dates to the 1650s in France. The system operates 16 acute care hospitals, home health care, rehabilitation programs, primary care clinics and community outreach and wellness programs, all located in northern and southern California, west Texas and eastern New Mexico. It has a workforce of more than 24,000 dedicated employees. In each community it touches, St. Joseph reaches out to care for the poor and vulnerable. www.stjhs.org