A new $34 million medical center will officially open in Libby on Jan. 30. Cabinet Peaks Medical Center will replace a smaller facility, St. John’s Lutheran Hospital, which was built in 1952 and has served the community for more than a half century.
“We’ve been preparing for this move for what seems like forever, so we’re really excited about getting over there and getting to work,” said Kate Stephens, marketing manager and executive director of the hospital foundation.
Construction began on the new hospital in 2012 and was aided in part by a $32 million loan from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Department. The new hospital is 77,000 square feet as opposed to the current facility that is 53,000 square feet. The new building has all private rooms with toilets and showers, as well as sleeper units for guests. There is also an expanded emergency department, larger surgical suites and more recovery room. The new building is located near the current hospital and close to the Libby Care Center and Northwest Community Health Center.
As of mid-January, Stephens said furniture was still being installed and the finishing touches were being made to the interior paint.
On Jan. 30 at 4:30 a.m. the hospital staff will meet to organize the patient transfer that will start at 6 a.m. Nurses and hospital staff will accompany each patient and ambulances from Libby and Troy will move back and forth between the two facilities. Stephens said a patient will be moved every three minutes and they hope to have the entire move completed within two hours.
On Jan. 31 at 12 p.m. a ribbon cutting ceremony will take place outside the hospital at 209 Health Park Drive.