Primghar, Iowa — The Baum Harmon Mercy Hospital in Primghar may be expanding.
The Baum Harmon Mercy Hospital Foundation is conducting a fundraising feasibility study to determine potential financial support and to gain understanding of public opinion for the proposed hospital expansion and renovation project.
Chairman of the foundation, Rodd Holtkamp tells us about the study.
He says between 120 and 150 people were randomly selected from Hartley, Primghar, Sutherland, and Paullina as well as Archer and Sanborn for a personal interview. He says that part of the study took place about a week before Thanksgiving. O’Brien County residents were also invited to participate by completing an online survey.
He says that the opinions shared by the people of this region are essential to helping them explore the feasibility of launching a capital campaign to raise funds for a proposed expansion and renovation of Baum Harmon Mercy Hospital.
Holtkamp says the proposed expansion and renovation project would cost $7.5 million and would include an 8,372 square foot addition.
They hope to have the results of the survey by mid January, he says. He says if the survey results are positive, they would undertake a major capital campaign fund drive.
He says the foundation does have some money for the project already. Mercy Hospital in Sioux City owns Baum Harmon Mercy Hospital, and they have made some initial commitments to help fund the project as well. But Holtkamp says a large portion of the funding needs to come from community support.
Holtkamp says if things go as planned, they would love to break ground in the late summer or early fall of 2016. He says whenever construction would start, if it’s built as is now envisioned, it would take about 18 months.
