BOURBON COUNTY, Kan. — Bourbon County should have a new health system operating its hospital in the new year.
Last year, the community was left without a provider five days before Christmas.
KSHB 41 has been covering the impact of Ascension Via Christi's departure.
It was the state's 11th rural hospital to close in 18 years.
Freeman Health System acquired the emergency department this summer.
Voters in the city of Fort Scott passed a 1/4-cent sales tax. The city recently added an additional $600,000 in funding.
Bourbon County will contribute $500,000.
The new provider will lease the space from the Kansas Renewal Institute, which recently bought the facility.
Its the first time Freeman has ever leased a hospital space.
Freeman Health System will also operate a 10-bed general medical unit.
They want to assure people, they are still coming.
"There is no community that should be without emergency services," said Renee Denton, chief operating officer of Freeman Neosho Hospital. "It is not our desire for anybody to be concerned of whether or not we are coming. We are absolutely 100% coming to that community and we are doing it as quickly as we possibly can."
Freeman Health System has to wait for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to approve their renovation and design plans.
The hospital must be up to current codes.
The health system initially aimed for an opening of April 2025. They hope the hospital will be operating sometime in the spring.
In the meantime, Denton said they are identifying community groups to meet with and provide updates.
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KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers portions of Johnson County, including neighborhoods in Overland Park, Shawnee and Mission. Share your story idea with Alyssa.
