09/16/08

Hospital officials broke ground today for a new medical facility in Gooding County.

The ground has broken for Gooding County’s new North Canyon Medical Center. After years of planning, construction is already underway.

“Today we've reached that goal, and we're here to celebrate,” said Earl Fitzpatrick, CEO of Gooding County Memorial Hospital

It will take 16 months to build the 50,000 square-foot facility that will replace the over 40 year-old Gooding County Memorial Hospital.

Hospital Board Char Pat Nelson said, “We started seven years ago, knowing our current hospital isn't meeting the standards our patients and the doctors need to meet our motto, to provide, 'Quality Healthcare, Close to Home.’”

The new hospital will add new services and jobs, including a surgical services department, and over $5 million worth of new equipment.

Administrators describe the new hospital, which will go up off Highway 46 just before Highway 26, as the new gateway into Gooding. It's scheduled to open in January of 2010.