Future Facility Updates
What is Happening?
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE
A New Hospital for Our Community
JUNE 2026 – The KCCMH Board of Directors approved the construction of a new hospital facility, marking an important investment in the future of healthcare for the communities we serve.
Planning is in its early stages, with work underway to explore financing, potential locations, timelines and other key project details. As plans develop, KCCMH will work closely with physicians, employees, patients and community members to help shape the future facility.
Check back often for the latest project updates, milestones and announcements, plus opportunities to ask questions, share input and attend community information sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
The original facility was built in 1947 and has undergone multiple additions over nearly 80 years to meet the community’s changing healthcare needs. Today, the campus has reached the limits of its existing footprint, and continued repairs and renovations are no longer the best long-term solution. We’re not replacing a building because it’s old. We’re replacing it because it can no longer support the healthcare needs of the future.
Why can’t we just remodel?
The Board evaluated both remodeling the existing facility and constructing a new one. A remodel is estimated to cost approximately $70 million, while a new build is estimated at approximately $87–97 million. Although a new facility requires a greater initial investment, the Board concluded that it provides substantially greater long-term value. Renovating the existing facility would also involve an estimated seven-year construction timeline, significant disruption to patients and staff, a landlocked site and limited opportunities for future expansion.
No. Obstetrical services are not included in the plans for the new hospital because they require specialized resources and service volumes that are not feasible for KCCMH.
However, Family Medicine providers will continue to care for patients before and after pregnancy through prenatal and postpartum care, and the Emergency Department will continue to evaluate and stabilize pregnancy-related emergencies while coordinating transfer to the appropriate level of care when necessary.
Potential improvements include:
- All services under one roof
- Modernized workplace
- Larger PT and rehabilitation space
- Increased same-day surgery capacity
- More Emergency Department beds
- Improved Swing Bed capacity
- First-floor location for greater accessibility
- Larger therapy gym for patients and community use
- Space for future growth
Swing Bed
Swing Bed is not only an important service for patients. It is also an important financial component of maintaining strong, sustainable healthcare in rural communities.
Why It Matters:
- Keeps patients close to family and support systems
- Supports recovery and rehabilitation close to home
- Helps patients transition safely back to independent living
- Strengthens the long-term sustainability of rural healthcare services
Recent Improvements:
- Hired a dedicated Nurse Case Manager to educate patients, families and facilities about the program and facilitate the return of community members after completing treatment at a higher level of care
- Created a family space to encourage social interaction during long stays
- Partnered with Burlington High School HOSA to offer a Swing Bed Companion program, encouraging social interaction for patients while giving future healthcare workers and volunteers an opportunity to learn about healthcare, compassion and service
What We’ve Learned:
We need more space to continue providing and expanding this important service.
Rehabilitation
Recent improvements to rehabilitation services include:
- Restarted cardiac rehabilitation
- Rearranged physical therapist schedules to accommodate PT sessions at both the hospital and Parke Wellness
- Hosted top-performing PT students during their clinical rotations with the goal of recruiting them to KCCMH
What We’ve Learned:
We need more space to expand rehabilitation services and better serve our community.
Every specialty clinic offered in Burlington means fewer trips to Denver, Colorado Springs, Hays and other larger communities for healthcare. This saves time, reduces travel and improves quality of life for our patients and families. Last year, KCCMH had 4,000 visits to the Specialty Clinic.
A new facility will help us:
- Expand Specialty Clinic space
- Attract additional visiting specialists
- Increase appointment availability
- Keep more healthcare close to home
What Have We Already Done to Improve the Specialty Clinic?
We have continued to improve the Specialty Clinic and expand the services available to our community. Recent improvements include:
- Reorganized the waiting area to improve efficiency and the patient environment
- Added new specialty services and providers, including:
- Optometry: Dr. Paul
- Structural Cardiology: Dr. Reddy
- Pain Management: Dr. Cotter
- Ortho-Spine: Dr. Levy
- Bariatrics: Dr. Schoen
- Kidney Care: Dr. Brookens
- Gastroenterology: Dr. Ende
- Urology: Dr. Oppenheimer
- ENT: Dr. Arnholt
What We’ve Learned:
We need to update and expand our space to improve the patient experience, attract more specialists and increase access to specialty care close to home.
KCCMH provided approximately 3,300 Emergency Department visits and performed approximately 350 procedures in 2025. We have continued to strengthen emergency and surgical care while working to keep more services close to home.
What We’ve Already Done:
- Partnered with TNT Med Staffing to provide dedicated 24/7 emergency care
- Established immediate access to specialists through telehealth partnerships such as Avel eCare and Telestroke
- Increased same-day surgery procedures through physician recruitment
- Expanded access to procedures close to home, including cataract surgery, colonoscopies, endoscopies and ear, nose and throat care
What a New Facility Would Provide:
- Additional Emergency Department beds and more space to improve patient care and staff safety
- Improved patient flow
- Increased same-day surgery capacity
- Surgery suites designed to meet today’s healthcare standards
- Space to grow services and meet the healthcare needs of future generations
We are currently working with a local landowner regarding a potential location for the new hospital. More information will be available in the very near future.
Potential funding sources include:
- USDA Rural Development financing
- Revenue Bond Financing
- Federal and State grant opportunities
- Commercial Bank Financing
- Hospital resources
- Foundation fundraising efforts
- Potential future local support
No final financing plan has been selected. A feasibility study has been completed, and we are actively evaluating funding options to identify the most fiscally responsible path forward.
We need:
- Ideas
- Feedback
- Community involvement
- Potential partnerships
- Future advocates for the project
This hospital belongs to the community.