House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #621 Gulf Pines Hospital Renovation-Gulf County
Requester:	Gulf Pines Hospital		Organization:		Gulf Pines Hospital
Project Title:	Gulf Pines Hospital Renovation-Gulf County		Date Submitted:		01/25/2000 3:08:47 PM
District Member:	Bev Kilmer		Service Area:		County
Counties Affected:	Gulf
Recipient:	Gulf Pines Hospital		Contact:		Herbert Steeley
	102 20th St		Contact Phone:		(850) 227-1122
	Port St Joe 32456
Project Description:
Because Gulf County has the highest percentage of unemployed persons in the State of Florida (13%), both the percentage of uncompensated emergency room care provided by the hospital and the demands on the emergency room are rising. This statutory rural hospital, the largest private employer in Gulf County (132 employees), is the only 24-hour acute and emergency care hospital within the county. It is at least a one-hour drive to the comprehensive acute care hospitals in Panama City. If Tyndall AFB has placed a roadblock on Hwy. 98 for any reason, (a fairly common occurence during military training exercises),this hospital is the only lifeline for the county. The hospital's capabilities are being severely stretched in the current economic crisis facing Gulf County. Additional emergency treatment rooms need to be completely updated and equipped with the essentials for quality emergency care. The hospital is also in need of a new roof.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
(This project is in the Governor's designated Area of Economic Critical Concern) Quality Community-based acute and emergency room and hospital care will remain available to an isolated area with severe economic difficulties. As we begin to experience a turn around in the economic forecast for Gulf County, it is anticipated that a major part of the recovery will consist of a broadened tourist trade. With the influx of more people into the area and extremely limitied ingrress and egress into Gulf County (basically one road in and one road away from the beach areas with that western road running through Tyndall AFB and totally controlled by the US Dept. of Defense), necessary health and safety concerns must be met in the IMMEDIATE local area.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
Updated equipment and a safe environment will serve the needs of the county's only hospital.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$907,493
Total cost of the project:		$1,647,493

Request has been made to fund:			Construction
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?				Yes
	Cash Amount:	$750,000
Was this project previously funded by the State?				No
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?				Unknown
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?				No
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?				No
Is there a documented need for this project?				Yes
	Documentation:	Unemployment rate of county, rising cost of charity care and hospital's budget.
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?				No