CoxHealth in Branson kicks off a new building project Wednesday afternoonwith a ground breaking ceremony. KSMU’s Theresa Bettmann has the story.
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A new, three story building will replace the current Medical Plaza 2 along Skaggs Road, which is scheduled to be torn down. Michelle Leroux is with Cox Medical Center in Branson, and says the plans to rebuild and improve the hospital are critical to fill the growing needs of Taney and Stone county residents. She adds these improvements are “a statement of stability and confidence in the community.”
“Cox Medical Center in Branson is breaking ground on a new 60, 000 square foot construction and renovation project. And once it’s complete, it will provide patients and staff with access to a new emergency department, an expanded coronary care unit, which is our CCU, and much more,” Leroux says.
The emergency department currently sees around 37,000 patients every year. Leroux says that with the new renovations they will be able to serve 55,000 to 60,000 patients each year, and do so more efficiently.
Leroux says that the Branson location became a part of the CoxHealth system back in January.
“The partnership included a promise by CoxHealth to invest in the hospital, to better serve the residents of Taney and Stone counties. And since that time we’ve done so many behind-the-scenes investments. We’ve done physician recruitment, we’ve had equipment purchases, and we’ve even done some small building maintenance. But this is going to be the most visible sign of progress underway at Cox Branson,” says Leroux.
The ground breaking ceremony takes place at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday outside of the current Cox Branson hospital emergency department. Currently a date for completion of the project has not been announced.
