Avera St. Anthony's Celebrates With

Grand Opening Of Hospital Addition

Last Wednesday evening several hundred people gathered for the opening of the new addition to the Avera St. Anthony's facility.

Ron Cork President/CEO, Avera St. Anthony's Hospital welcomed the crowd followed by Dr. Pamela Rezac, Avera Regional President, Avera Sacred Heart Region. Dr. Rezac stated how impressed she was with the new facility and the drive and determination at which the project took shape.  Archbishop George J. Lucas of the Omaha Diocese was on hand to give a blessing to the facility. After a brief prayer service the facility was opened for public inspection.

The 16 million dollar construction at Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital provides an additional 35,452 square feet of space to include the new two story addition.  The project includes renovation and remodeling of approximately 14,657 square feet in space vacated by departments moving to the new addition.  

Significant increases in volumes and the number of services offered over the last 10 years have rendered the current physical plant inadequate to meet the needs and expectations of patients.  The building includes single patient rooms, a medical office building for local providers, new physical/occupational therapy and chemotherapy spaces, and increased capacity in the Surgery department.  More comfortable and healing accommodations, shared services for patient convenience, and increased privacy and infection control measures have resulted from the project.

Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital is  a critical access facility that's primary service area includes eight counties and 20,000 people in northeast Nebraska.  Seventeen medical providers, including a full time orthopedic surgeon, general surgeon and radiologist, practice in O’Neill and do outreach to other communities.  The hospital employs approximately 250 people from the area.