DEL NORTE- The Rio Grande Hospital has been in the midst of change over the last few years and this year, 2019, marks the completion of that change with several projects finally coming to fruition. For the past two years, the hospital has been undergoing renovations that were finalized this spring and celebrated in June.

It has been two years since the hospital broke ground, and now that it is finished, everyone can breathe a sigh of relief. The new renovation included the emergency room, making it more secure and private for patients. Before the renovation, the emergency room was one room that only offered privacy through closed curtains. Now the facility has a locking door that separates the emergency area from the main part of the hospital, a waiting room and rooms that have doors that offer more security and privacy to patients.

The hospital also added a large area for physical therapy that includes laser therapy, a traction table, dry needling services, ultrasounds, e-stem services and heat therapy. The hospital addition also included linking the hospital to the Rio Grande Hospital Clinic and an extension of the administrative portion of the building which offers more room for offices and meeting facilities.

The project was paid for through the efforts of the Rio Grande Hospital Board, several private organizations and generous donations from the community. The hospital was able to receive a low interest loan through the USDA to help pay for the remaining amount of the project.  The USDA loan was instrumental in the acquisition of the new hyperbaric oxygen chamber to help with patient wound healing and other treatments.
In 2017, the hospital board worked to complete a USDA loan application for which they received a direct loan for $13,840,000 and an additional guaranteed loan for $8,000,000. This coupled with the funding raised by the hospital through their “Keeping the Dream Alive” fundraising event, enabled the hospital to have the funding to expand the hospital.

With the renovation behind them, the hospital set out to celebrate with an open house event and their annual “Keeping the Dream Alive” fundraiser that was held in August. The fundraiser was a huge success and brought people from all over the Valley to celebrate the hospital, its recent renovations and to donate to future projects.

This year was one of the biggest years for the hospital due to the fact that they raised more money than they ever have in the past. The event was a great time for all who attended, and though final numbers have yet to be complied, the hospital did state that they raised over $50,000 in private donations alone.

The hospital did not stop there, after finishing their new clinic in Monte Vista the administration decided it was high time to add a physical therapy room to the building and celebrated its opening in mid-summer.
The physical therapy facility expansion allows the clinic in Monte Vista to offer state-of-the-art care for patients in the immediate area instead of having to send them to Del Norte. The physical therapists can do everything from gait evaluation and training, therapeutic exercise, ultrasound electrical stimulation, occupational therapy and even speech therapy.

The Rio Grande Hospital is continuing to grow and meet the needs of the changing community around it. Though there are no immediate plans for any new projects in the near future, the hospital will always go above and beyond to make sure that the community has the care and medical facilities it needs.