CCH Groundbreaking and 2018 BBQ & Quilt Auction

On June 25, 2018, a very special groundbreaking ceremony took place in front of Conejos County Hospital in La Jara, Colorado. As CO State Representative remarked, "While other critical access hospitals across our state and nation are struggling to stay open, here we are breaking ground for improvements to our Emergency Department." CCH Administrator Kelly Gallegos welcomed the crowd who were in attendance to witness the groundbreaking as well as enjoy the BBQ and Quilt Auction event. "This is a shared vision across our SLVH team. We are inspired by the image of the tree that is deeply rooted in our community, just like this hospital. In fact, the original hospital was built by local people volunteering their time, talents and even the cinder blocks used to create the structure." Gallegos noted, "Healthcare has changed over the last 50 years and so has CCH. One service that has always remained vital to this region is our emergency and trauma services. We serve a county that is larger than the state of Rhode Island! Our care is more than just the facility, it is also about the dedicated team that provides the care. We had our trauma survey a couple of weeks ago and had a stellar review! There were no findings and in fact, the auditors identified three best practices to share with other hospitals across the state!" Her comments were met with hearty applause from the crowd. In closing, Kelly commented, "Our investment in the facility will result in greater efficiency of staff resources, more privacy, and security, and serves as a sign of our commitment to serve as Conejos County's trusted partner in health for years to come."

Pictured from L to R: SLVH Board Chair Karla Hardesty, CCH Administrator Kelly Gallegos, SLVH CFO Shane Mortensen, Phipps Project Manager Dan Lane, SLVH Board Member Casey Russell and Conejos County Commissioner Mitchell Jarvies

Dr. Donna Nelson joined Rep Valdez, Board Chair Karla Hardesty and CCH Administrator Kelly Gallegos before the ceremony began.

The groundbreaking will begin renovations to CCH such as creating a single entrance, a remodeled emergency department and an updated imaging department. The ED will remain open during construction.