PCH Building Project Receives Funds

Pana Community Hospital has received a large donation towards their $20.1 million dollar expansion project thanks to the U.S.D.A. and Shelby Electric Cooperative. Many were on hand as a one million dollar check was presented to hospital officials Monday.
 
“The expansion and support from the community are vital to providing the best care for area residents in the future,” noted Pana Community Hospital President and CEO Trina Casner. “It’s extremely important to provide care to the patients in our community and surrounding communities that we serve when they need it. When we started working on the project, the question we kept asking ourselves, does this expansion make it better for the patient, are we doing what is best for the patient? So, the patient became the key focus in all the decisions made around this project,” explained Casner.

The check was made possible through the Rural Economic Development loan and grant program. “We were very happy to help secure these funds to help not only the residents in and around the Pana area but also our member-owners that we serve out in the rural areas,” said Shelby Electric Cooperative President/CEO Josh Shallenberger. “It is vital for rural areas to have high quality healthcare for all its residents because you never know when you are going to need these critical access and emergency services because it might be a life-savings event,” added Shallenberger.

Central Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis was also on hand for the check presentation Monday morning. “This expansion doesn’t just provide better quality healthcare for Pana area residents, it also provides economic development,” stated Congressman Davis. “Critical access hospitals in towns like Pana can be one of the largest employers so this expansion is an economic boost as well.  I commend the hospital staff, area banks, Shelby Electric Cooperative, and U.S.D.A. Rural Development for working together to help bring funds to this project,” Continued Congressman Davis.

The expansion project is designed in two areas of the hospital, the Patient Services addition and the Main Entry addition. The Patient Services expansion will create additional space for a new surgical suite, laboratory, diagnostic imaging, cardiopulmonary, materials management, and nutritional services departments. The Main Entry addition will create space for an urgent care, improve access to the hospital building, and provide a contemporary waiting area with private registration offices.
 
The entire PCH expansion project is expected to be completed by April 2019.


Pictured left to right 

Doug Wilson, USDA Rural Development State Director for Illinois, Josh Shallenberger, President|CEO Shelby Electric Cooperative, Matt Beavers, President|CEO 1st National Bank of Pana, Trina Casner, President and CEO Pana Community Hospital, Congressman Rodney Davis, John Gardner President/CEO People's Bank and Trust, Pana, and Duane Noland, President|CEO Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives.