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During a public forum held on Thursday night, Memorial District District President and CEO Richard Carter said the $ 28 million bail on the May 4 ballot was necessary, as current installations simply lack space.
The sale of the bonds will be used for the expansion and renovation of Hunt Regional Medical Center Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, as well as a maternity center, surgery center and therapy services.
"We have seen significant growth in our services in recent years," said Carter about the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). "It's growing by leaps and bounds."
Average shipments went from 83 per month three years ago to 121 per month in 2018.
"It's likely to become even higher than that," said Carter. "This underscores our ability to effectively manage these patients with no extra space."
The proposed project would bring the postpartum nursing unit from 12 to 20 beds, add 12 NICU bbadinets, double the number of existing labor recovery units and deliveries to 12 and would add prenatal care. Renovation work will also be carried out on the existing space of the maternity center.
The surgical center has seen a 38% increase over the past three years, particularly in the endoscopy suite suites.
"We have two of them now and they are operating at 100% of their capacity," Carter said, which means the district must choose between scheduling endoscopy procedures at night or adding surgical operating rooms. and an badistance area.
The proposed expansion would move the endoscopy operating rooms from five to eight currently, double the procedural space to four and expand salvage rooms and support areas.
During the forum, Clay Woods asked how the proposed expansion would respond to the large number of patients requiring care in the district.
"The goal of the expansion is to meet the needs," Carter said, noting that the district had to meet those needs, regardless of the patient's financial status.
"Last year, our uncollectible expenses were about $ 65 million," said Carter, adding that this amounted to about 13 percent of the district's $ 500 million budget.
"The expansion will help us serve everyone," Carter said. "The law says that when they walk through the door, we have to provide them with care."
Council Chair Joe C. Johnson explained how his hometown, Caddo Mills, had recently begun to consider adding a subdivision of 1,500 homes. Similar growth has been observed in Royse City and rural areas of western Hunt County.
"It's here," Johnson said of the county's population boom, adding that the district had chosen over the years to remain independent and not merge with major medical companies.
"We have studied every avenue." Johnson said to find ways to cope with rapid growth. "All we are trying to do is to improve, improve and improve."
The hospital district property tax rate for the 2018-19 period is 23,557 cents per $ 100 of badessments, down from 24.33 cents two years ago.
Approval of the proposed bond, which has been repaid in 20 years, will increase the current indebtedness rate by 2 cents per $ 100 of badessment, resulting in a $ 20 increase in the family home tax. average of $ 100,000.
The tax rate will drop by one cent in 2026 with the withdrawal of the current debt.
Early voting for the election of the bonds is scheduled from April 22 to 30. Advance ballots will be held from 8 am to 5 pm on April 22, 24, 26, 29 and 30 and from 7 am to 7 pm April 23-25 at the Hunt County Electoral Administration Office, 2217 Washington Street, Greenville; Hunt Regional Medical Center, 4215 Joe Remsey Boulevard and Commerce Town Hall.
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