Important to Know
West Park Hospital Modernization Project 2010
Frequently Asked Questions
New Answers to Your Questions - Updated May 2010
Q: Is the new modernization plan a result of poor planning and mistakes made by others in the past?
A: When West Park Hospital was built, the facility was considered state-of-the-art and it has served the citizens of the county well for nearly 40 years. Today, hospital trustees are focused on the future of healthcare delivery to the community vs. debating past decisions of those who served before. The modernization project of 2010 is a result of meticulous planning for the healthcare needs facing the community in the present as well as for the future.
Q: Why is the new Cathcart Medical Office building yet to be filled to capacity and shouldn't you wait to invest more into the hospital until that space is filled?
A: The Cathcart Medical Office plan was to build a facility that could accommodate providers currently serving the community, as well as provide the needed space for future growth. If the facility was built short of projected future growth, the Cathcart facility would eventually face the same significant challenges as the current hospital campus. Occupancy is at expected levels and with the modernized emergency department, projections indicate placement of new providers.
Q: How does the revised plan impact the residents in the long-term care center?
A: Not only does the project upgrade our 38-year old aging Emergency Department, it also recognizes the importance of the serenity garden to healing and offers even more garden area and green spaces for all to enjoy. Additionally, the solarium/sunroom space is being completely renovated with new glazing and finishes to make this space a central focus of the entire LTCC facility and residents and patients in need of hospital services will have a new and private staff/patient only corridor to connect to other areas of the hospital bringing critical medical services closer to residents. Finally, by modernizing WPH, ALL levels of care to higher standards for patient privacy and safety.
Q: Will parking be a problem with the new addition?
A: Parking will not be a problem. The modernization project involves relocating existing departments; Phase II does not entail adding new services or departments. No additional parking will be necessary. WPH addressed the parking issues by relocating the physician offices to the Cathcart Health Center in Phase I.
Q: West Park is its own district so why should residents of Powell become educated on this modernization project?
A: In the U.S. there are over 1300 Critical Access Hospitals (CAH). It is rare to have two CAHs in the same County with the exception of areas where population centers are located the distance WPH is to Powell Valley Hospital. WPH receives patients from Cody, Meeteetse and Powell, and serves as the primary health resource for the majority of visitors to the region each year. It is absolutely essential that BOTH healthcare facilities be up-to-date and prepared to meet the medical needs of its community. Quality healthcare close to home and to visitors of the region, employers and citizens of every age is essential. Modern healthcare facilities and patient privacy impacts everyone, regardless of location, ability to pay or geography.
Q: Will you be using local contractors for construction?
A: In the realm of hospital facility design and construction, it is mandated that contractors in many areas possess experience specific to the healthcare or hospital industry. The project construction management firm will utilize as many local contractors as possible. Only those who meet the criteria outlined in the Request for Qualifications will be considered.
Q: Why can't the hospital use all its own funds to complete Phase II of the modernization?
A: The hospital IS committed to using over $12 million in reserved funds for this phase of the overall modernization project. WPH does not have the resources to make the full investment and the current proposed funding plan has been studied at great length. It was determined that the current method of payoff IS the only way to save the community millions of hard earned dollars.
Q: Did WPH push to have the measure on the primary ballot to avoid hearing from the majority of voters?
A: The decision to ask that the measure be placed on the August primary ballot over the November General Election was based solely on the fact that by doing so it saves the community between $2 and $3 million in finance and related fees.
A: WPH is one of 14 CAHs in Wyoming. Hospitals having the CAH designation are necessary community hospitals serving citizens living in rural and growing areas. The CAH program was derived from the 1997 Balanced Budget Act and there are over 1,300 designated CAHs across the country.
Q: Who owns West Park Hospital?
A: WPH is a Hospital District, meaning it is a community-supported governmental entity charged with delivering healthcare to our community. We fulfill a vital role in the state's healthcare system because, without us, many people would be unable to receive healthcare close to home. Hospital districts are authorized not only to operate a hospital, but also to deliver any service to help people stay healthy-physically, socially and mentally. Because we are owned and governed by local citizens, hospital districts tailor their services to meet the unique needs of their individual communities. This community-based mission defines and distinguishes hospital districts from other healthcare entities.
Q: Why does West Park need to modernize its facility?
A: WPH is nearly 40 years old and its Emergency Department has not undergone a modernization project in its history. Unlike schools, retail spaces and other facilities, hospitals must comply with current building standards that did not exist 30-50 years ago. All of which are directly related to patient safety and security. Up until now, we were able to find solutions to our many challenges for space in order to accommodate the growth of our community and of the healthcare services we provide.
After extensive study and many years of meticulous planning, we have determined that in order to meet the long-term healthcare needs of the community, comply with current requirements for patient privacy and safety, maintain a strong workforce and continually recruit needed physicians; the time has come to add to our existing campus. This requires us to demolish the vacant and unusable Coe Medical Office Building and, in its place, build a state-of-the-art Emergency Medicine Department and upgrade critical patient services such as our Laboratory, Imaging and Surgery departments.
Q: Why can't you renovate the Coe Medical Building for the expansion?
A: The Coe Building is over 50 years old and was constructed as a medical office building, not a hospital. It cannot and will not meet building codes specific to hospital and healthcare facilities.
Q: UPDATED MARCH 1st! - - How much will the modernization project cost and how do you propose it be funded?
A: At the West Park Hospital District Board of Trustees meeting on Feb. 24, a resolution was passed to amend the budget for phase two of the hospital's emergency department modernization and expansion project. The resolution calls for the hospital to allocate $12 million of the funds originally allocated to the final phase of the modernization project to offset the size and term of a proposed CAP tax. Under the amended budget, the cost of phase two will be lowered to $26.2 million. Phase three is projected to cost $20 million, which the hospital plans to fund internally, since it can be broken into smaller pieces that can be implemented in steps. The new proposed budget dramatically decreases the amount of the proposed CAP tax and shortens the term to 31 months. This option also would postpone the final phase until a time yet to be determined.
Q: How will the proposed CAP Tax impact me personally?
A: The proposed CAP Tax is the most affordable way for aging hospital facilities to undergo the modernization work necessary to advance the level of care, improve health outcomes and prepare for future growth. You can visit http://apps.irs.gov/app/stdc/ and use the tools provided to make a personal calculation; however, to give you a basic picture of what it will mean for individual families, following are some general calculations based on two exemptions.
| Annual Income |
Estimated Annual
CAP Tax Contribution |
| $20,000 - 30,000 |
$71.25 |
| $30,000 - 40,000 |
$87.75 |
| $40,000 - 50,000 |
$101.75 |
| $50,000 - 60,000 |
$115.00 |
| $60,000 - 70,000 |
$127.50 |
| $70,000 - 80,000 |
$139.50 |
| $80,000 - 90,000 |
$151.00 |
| $90,000 - 100,000 |
$162.00 |
| $100,000 - 120,000 |
$177.00 |
| $120,000 - 140,000 |
$198.00 |
| $140,000 - 160,000 |
$217.25 |
Q: Why can't revenue from the nursing home be used to pay for the modernization project?
A: WPH supplements nursing home operations so that the Hospital District can continue to provide essential care to our growing aging population.
Q: Will any of the CAP tax funding be used for current hospital operations or to help pay for the Cathcart Health Center?
A: ABSOLUTELY NOT. The funding provided through the CAP tax will be used solely for the second phase of the West Park Hospital Modernization and Emergency Department Expansion Project.
Q: What does the modernization project entail?
A: The WPH Modernization Project has been planned in three phases and follows our comprehensive master facility plan adopted by the board in 2006.
Yesterday
Relocation of Provider Offices from the Coe Building-Phase I
There was not enough space for our growing medical staff, now at 40 providers. The Coe Building is 55 years old and renovation was too expensive and could not be justified. The space lacked room for new medical staff growth, and now WPH occupies 85 percent of the completed space in the Cathcart Health Center PLUS generates revenue from rentals in order to pay our debt service. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS SOUGHT OR REQUESTED OF THE COMMUNITY.
Today
Emergency Department Replacement & Relocation of Patient Services-Phase II
- The Project Includes 110,071 Square Feet in New and Renovated Space
- Relocate Laboratory and Imaging Departments
- Relocate Admissions to a Central Location
- Demolition of the Vacant Coe Medical Office Building for Expansion
- Create the Infrastructure Needed for Future Replacement Patient Rooms
- Create Needed Separation of Public and Patient Corridors, Providing Better Protection and Privacy
- New Main Entrance will Remove Confusion and Provide Improved Wayfinding
- Improve Staff Efficiency in Patient Care, Connecting Essential Clinical Departments and Eliminating Barriers Inherent to Current Floor Plan
Tomorrow
Patient Room Relocation-Phase III
Q: How will the community benefit from the WPH Modernization Project?
A: This project benefits all of Cody, Park County and many of its surrounding communities. The impetus for the project is to ensure we continue to serve the healthcare needs of ALL Members of the community, regardless of their ability to pay. It also:
- Improves Facilities and Access to Quality Care Close to Home
- Expands and Enhances Service Offerings while Continuing to Build our Physician and Provider Base
- Consistently Allows us to Deliver Superior Customer Service
- Provides Uncompromised Patient Privacy through Thoughtful Design
- Continues Making a Positive Economic Impact in Cody and Park County
- Eliminates the Vacant Medical Building, Improving the Aesthetics of a Major Traffic Area and Conforming with the City's Plans for Restoration and Development
Q: Will you utilize the services of local contractors?
A: West Park Hospital feels very strongly about utilizing services of local contractors, as we did with the Cathcart Medical Offices, which provided over $3 million in revenue for many in our community. We must always adhere to state statutes for hiring local contractors and utilizing local material. When the process begins, there will be information available for local contractors from a wide variety of trades who wish to participate.
Q: How long will the modernization project take?
A: The modernization project time is dependent upon the following items:
- If the Cody City Council, along with one other city in the county, makes a recommendation to support the project, they will present it to county commissioners in February 2010;
- If the county commissioners vote in favor to place the item on the ballot for the community to decide;
- If the request makes the August primary and the community decides to support new and improved healthcare through the CAP tax;
- Then...construction will commence by October 2010 and the project is estimated to be completed by August 2012!
Q: If the hospital in Powell were in need of renovation and expansion, would the board and leadership of WPH support them if they were asking for additional tax revenue to fund their project?
A: Absolutely! The reality is, regardless of what may be happening in the national healthcare debate, our local hospitals, be it West Park Hospital or Powell Valley Healthcare, MUST remain viable and we MUST invest in the future of our healthcare facilities. Today, it's West Park and, in due time, it will be Powell. Because we are community-based hospitals, we will always need your support. And, because we are your primary sources for care, we will always be focused on the delivery of the highest standards of care.
Q: Do the West Park Hospital employees and physicians support the modernization plan?
A: The employees and medical staff of West Park Hospital do support the plan. As the people caring for family, friends, neighbors and visitors to the area every day, they are impacted greatly by the current facility and the limitations inherent to our outdated floor plan.
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