Work began Monday on a complete interior remodel of the Clay Center Family Physicians (CCFP) clinic. The project will include updated exam rooms, a new procedure room, and infectious disease exam rooms for potential COVID-19 patients. The remodel will be done in six phases, so the clinic can continue operation during construction. It is scheduled to be complete in July 2021.

CCFP recently added Dr. Allison Haynes to the team, and Dr. Eric Anderson will begin next August. Heather Tremblay, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, will also join the clinic team in August 2021. These staff additions and continued growth of the clinic created a need for more space and layout efficiencies. The clinic was built in 1993 and has not had a major interior update since that time.

“As we continue to expand our medical service offerings, updated exam rooms and an efficient clinic layout for our patients is necessary,” said Austin Gillard, CEO at Clay County Medical Center (CCMC). “We hope to also hire a general surgeon at some point in 2021.”

Throughout the clinic, new flooring, ceilings, casework, and cabinets will be installed. Materials used in the furnishings and fixtures will be the type that can be totally sterilized when cleaned. “From an infectious disease standpoint, we focused the design and materials used to create a sterile environment,” said Gillard. “We are not risking the spread of disease from patient to patient.”

A total of 27 exam rooms will be included in the project, along with medical provider offices, and other administrative support spaces. The entire clinic will be soundproofed with insulation in the ceiling, walls, and door frames, so sound stays in the exam rooms. There is no insulation in the current exam rooms, which causes a privacy concern.

A new infectious disease clinic will also be part of the renovation. The former CCFP lab will be changed into a new infectious disease clinic, including three stand-alone exam rooms. This area will have a separate air-handling unit so an airborne disease does not enter any other areas of CCFP or Clay County Medical Center. The rooms can be used as COVID suites, where patients would be separate from the clinic to avoid exposure to other visitors.

A capital campaign has been created to support this major project. Furnishings, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) for the clinic will cost around $200,000. The Clay Center Hospital Foundation has begun outreach to pay for the FF&E in order to offset the total cost of equipment for the project, so CCMC can continue to invest in other continued advancements at the hospital.

Donations to support the campaign can be sent to the Clay County Hospital Foundation, PO Box 512, Clay Center, KS 67432. Limited room-naming opportunities are available for donations of $5,000 and above.