St. Charles Health System to Build New Health Care Campus in Prineville

The St. Charles Health System board of directors approved last Friday the construction of a new health care campus in Prineville that will include inpatient beds, an emergency department, surgical suites, imaging services, laboratory services, physician clinic space and more.

“St. Charles has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Pioneer Memorial Hospital (PMH) and the communities of Crook County for more than 15 years,” said James A. Diegel, FACHE, president and CEO of St. Charles Health System. “The investment in new facilities and innovative services will lead to a healthier community consistent with our new vision for health services in the region.”

The vote by the St. Charles board is the final step in the approval process for the new building.

“We have spent the past few years looking at the feasibility of building a new health care campus in Prineville and are excited to officially be moving forward,” said Bob Gomes, CEO of PMH and St. Charles Redmond.

Earlier this month the PMH membership and board of directors, which lease the operation of the current hospital to St. Charles Health System, voted and approved ending the operating lease agreement with St. Charles once the new building is complete. They will also donate a portion of PMH’s assets to St. Charles to support the $30 million building project and will establish a scholarship fund for Crook County residents who are interested in pursuing a career in health care.

“Our fiduciary responsibility as a board wasn’t to keep the current building; it was to make sure everybody in this community had access to good, quality health care. And that’s what we’ve done,” said Dan Schuette, president of the PMH board and vice chair of the St. Charles Health System board. “Prineville has an opportunity to be innovative and cutting edge beyond what the rest of the United States is doing and I’m real proud of that.”

The St. Charles board also approved purchasing 20 acres of land on the Ochoco Lumber site and authorized management to make a final decision between two design/build firms. Construction will likely begin in late 2013 or early 2014 and will take approximately two years to complete.