BRISTOW, Okla. — In an update to a story we've covered since the beginning, Bristow's hospital is set to finally reopen on Nov. 15, bringing a winding saga to a close.
For nearly two years, there's been no hospital for the rural town, with many residents forced to drive 30 minutes away to Tulsa for healthcare.
- Previous coverage >>> Frustration growing in Bristow amid hospital closure
Although Carrus Health, the hospital's current owner, established urgent care next door after the old hospital shut down nearly two years ago, it wasn't open 24/7.
"We have faced many hurdles. This building has given us challenges every step of the way, as far as things were out of compliance and out of code," Jordyn Case, a public relations manager for Carrus Health, said. "And patient safety is our number one goal, and making sure that we had everything in this building was for the paramount of patient safety, and bringing the best of healthcare to this community was our number-one goal."
This facility also underwent a serious upgrade.
Once a red-brick building, it's now painted white. But that's just the exterior.
Case said just about "everything in this building is basically new" — from plumbing and electrical, to the emergency rooms and services.
"We had to bring the facility up to code. We've done it in a phased approach. What we're standing in right now is Phase One. It is a five-bed ER, four inpatient bed[s], and then all of our outpatient services," said Case. "So, we're reopening that tomorrow [Wednesday]. Phase Two is going to come later on; that will be an additional 21 inpatient beds."
She told us they're hoping to open Phase Two "as quickly as possible," saying a grant will fund the majority of it.
This story begins on April 6, 2021, when Bristow voters approved a penny sales tax, half of which would go toward funding a new hospital.
Jump to December, when we first learn about Bristow Medical Center changing operations from concerned employees while the hospital is still owned by Endeavor Healthcare.
- Previous coverage >>> Bristow Medical Center still closed, new operator awaiting licenses
The city decided to terminate its lease and approved a proposal from Carrus Health to take over operations starting Jan. 1, 2022. Mayor Pinson at the time said they expected to have the E.R. back open in three to four days, and two to three months for the hospital.
Skip ahead six months to June 2022, Carrus is still working to get new licenses for the now "Carrus Lakeside Hospital," but the Oklahoma Department of Health said the building wasn't up to code.
- Previous coverage >>> Bristow hospital close to reopening
Fast forward to February 2023, Carrus Health said they are close to re-opening after Phase One of improvements. This included adding a bigger lobby and emergency room. At this time, they told 2 News they hoped to be open in the next 60 days.
Another seven months later, in September, a year and nine months after first closing: Carrus Health now said they've passed all inspections, received all licenses.
Watch as we talked to Carrus Health in September:
That brings us to last week.
Bristow city councilors were set to vote on a resolution to adjust the sales taxes surrounding the hospital but tabled the vote. That's when Carrus Health announced a new reopening date for Nov. 15 at 9 a.m.
Bristow Mayor Kris Wyatt on Tuesday told us the city council is looking to bring a special election about the sales tax on Jan. 9, the same date as a school bond election.
"This will be a measure to change the verbiage of the use of the existing half-penny sales tax," Wyatt said. "So, it's not instituting a new tax; it's just to redefine the use of the tax that's collected as it pertains to bringing this hospital up."
2 News be in Bristow to see what happens.
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