Project category: New construction (completed December 2004)

Chief administrator: Steve West, CEO, (765) 348-0300

Firm: BSA LifeStructures, (317) 819-7878

Design team: Richard Fetz, Principal-in-Charge; Erin Like, Project Designer; Daniel Miles, Engineering Project Manager; Marshall Eadie, Construction Administration; Richard Berger, Site Design (BSA LifeStructures); Interior Design (Maregatti Interiors)

Photography: Megan Van Valer, MV2 Photography; Steve Richardson

Total building area (sq. ft.): 57,000

Construction cost/sq. ft.: Not released

Total construction cost (excluding land): Not released

While it may be smaller than the hospital it replaced, Blackford Community Hospital brings bigger care to residents of rural Blackford County.

The new critical access hospital handles more patients than its predecessor, a facility that opened in the 1950s and underwent expansions and renovations in the 1970s. The design of the new building supports the shift from inpatient- to outpatient-based care with a layout that provides optimal efficiency for patients, visitors, and staff. The lobby includes an inviting fireplace and is surrounded by outpatient functions including clinics, the emergency department, radiology, and laboratory. This layout helps patients quickly find the outpatient function they need. Registration, dining, a community room, a pharmacy, a gift shop, and a chapel are also conveniently located near the main entry. The layout of the hospital also improves staff efficiency by minimizing walking distances.

A surgery suite with two operating rooms is included in the facility. In the nursing unit, 15 large, private patient rooms are outfitted with amenities such as individual temperature control, a television, and a sleep chair for family who want to spend the night. The emergency department also includes all private rooms, enhancing patients’ comfort.

The attached medical office building increases convenience for patients and physicians.

The hospital brings new services to the community, including cardiac and pulmonary rehab programs, making it easier for patients to receive treatment close to home.