Area hospital undergoes major renovation project

PORTALES, N.M.- Big changes are coming to the Roosevelt General Hospital.

A $2.1 million renovation project is now underway.

It includes connecting the RGH Clinic to the hospital through two corridors with space being filled in with additional medical rooms.

"We took a look at the clinic and realized that we needed a lot more exam rooms and office space for providers to work in," RGH CEO Larry Leaming said. "The first step needed to be to expand the clinic."

With the clinic and hospital now combined, this will provide easier access for medical personnel and patients while increasing health care services.

"We're adding ultrasound offices, outpatient procedure space and much needed clinical space," Leaming added.

Once that's complete, the next step is to hire more physicians and staff while extending the clinic's hours.

"I'm a mom," Amber Hamilton with RGH said. "I know how hard it is to bring my kids in before 5 o'clock so the fact that I can bring my kids in after day care when I go to pick them up on Friday at 6 p.m. and one happens to be sick, to be able to bring them in to see a doctor right then means a lot."

The clinic will now be open from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Brainstorming for this project began in 2010.

Renovations are expected to be complete by September.