Gritman construction part of surgery expansion

MOSCOW — Gritman Medical Center in Moscow is taking on a remodeling project as it plans to expand its surgery department.

The project is happening in two phases, which are expected to be completed by the end of the year, according to Gritman CEO Kara Besst.

Drivers passing the Gritman campus have likely seen construction on the corner of Washington and Seventh streets. Besst said crews are building a new electrical room to power its “1960s wing,” which is where its new central sterile room will be located. Central sterile is where the hospital’s surgical instruments are sterilized.

The hospital is also looking at creating a fifth operating room in its surgery department. It is part of the hospital’s overall plan of recruiting new physicians and surgeons to keep up with the demand of a growing local population.

Besst said the hospital completed a strategic plan in 2023 that showed the need to recruit more staff members including primary care physicians, orthopedic surgeons, urologists and others.

She said these two phases will cost a total of approximately $5 million, which will be paid with tax-exempt revenue bonds. Besst said Gritman is a not-for-profit, which means it does not tax residents to complete projects like these.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.