WEST PLAINS, MO – As part of the ongoing Ozarks Healthcare expansion project, Ozarks Healthcare has temporarily closed its main hospital (surgery) entrance at 1100 Kentucky Ave., West Plains.
All patients and visitors will be required to enter the hospital through the North Lobby located next to the Emergency Department. Patients may enter campus through the north entrance on Eighth St. Parking for those seeking emergency care will continue to be available next to the Emergency Department. Parking will also be available in the Emergency Department’s upper (lot 14) and lower (lot 13) paved lots for patients and visitors. Patients needing to access any of the clinics within the hospital located on 1115 Alaska Ave. (Internal Medicine, Heart and Lung Center, Endocrinology, Dermatology, etc.) will still be able to enter through the hospital’s Doctors’ Pavilion entrance and use the parking lot located at 1115 Alaska Ave.
“We are excited to keep moving forward with the expansion of our health system for our patients and community,” Tom Keller, Ozarks Healthcare President and CEO, said. “With increased shuttle services and parking, we are focused on ensuring our healthcare services continue to be readily accessible to our patients during this time of growth.”
Daily shuttle services will be available during the temporary closure from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Shuttles will be available by calling 417-293-4731 from your cell phone once you arrive to request a pickup. Shuttle drivers will be patrolling the parking lots to pick up those who do not call. Hospital security officers may also be contacted for assistance at 417-293-8430. Directional signage will be posted.
All scheduled surgery patients will be notified of the temporary entrance closure. The temporary entrance closure is expected to last for approximately three weeks.
A map indicting all temporary entrance and parking changes may be viewed at https://www.ozarkshealthcare.com/. Ozarks Healthcare’s current COVID-19 protocols and screening requirements remain in place. All patients, visitors, and coworkers are required to mask and be screened before entry. To read Ozarks Healthcare’s current COVID-19 protocols and visitor restrictions in full, please visit https://www.ozarkshealthcare.com/coronavirus-updates/.
About the Ozarks Healthcare Expansion
Ozarks Healthcare’s expansion is based on providing convenience for patients by placing more services under one roof. The location of the expansion will connect the existing Shaw Medical Building and the current main hospital building, housing almost all of Ozarks Healthcare’s specialty clinics and ancillary services to one location, creating a centralized space for patients.
The first portion of the expansion was completed in November 2020, featuring a 20,000 square-foot Women’s Center. The Women’s Center houses modern labor and delivery rooms, gynecological surgery facilities, educational spaces, and more.
Specifically, the new construction of more than 100,000 square feet will include the construction of a new medical office building, flexible clinics, procedure suite, centralized imaging facilities, an updated pharmacy, and a new food service area.
These additions will allow the facility to better serve more than 150,000 residents in south-central Missouri and northern Arkansas, who prefer to stay close to home to utilize quality healthcare services. As confirmed by a federally required Community Health Needs Assessment, Ozarks Healthcare continues to grow its facilities, services, and the Ozarks Healthcare Medical Group to focus on improving the overall health of those they serve.
