Hulett clinic plans moving ahead

Plans continue to move ahead for an update to the medical services facilities in Hulett, the Crook County Medical Services District Board of Trustees heard last week.

“We are still working on plans for a new clinic in Hulett,” reported Sandi Kellogg of the Crook County Medical Foundation.

Kellogg stated that the foundation has contacted architects in Wyoming about creating plans and taking next steps and has also spoken with Janet Jares, Advocacy Coordinator at the Wyoming Department of Health, about potential grants that could be pursued to help bring the project to fruition.

Board Chairman Sandy Neiman questioned whether it might be worth considering a reduction from the 8000 square feet in the proposed plans, bearing in mind the square footage in the Moorcroft and Sundance clinics.

“There’s a lot of wasted space in that building,” she said of the Moorcroft clinic.

The size, said Kellogg, is not yet set in stone and the initial plans were based on numbers given by potential occupants of the building, such as the pharmacy.

Trustee Trish Habeck agreed that some changes might be a good idea. For example, she said, it might be worth reconsidering the idea of a drive-through on the basis that only one member of staff will be there to man the pharmacy and covering both the drive-through and inside counter would be very difficult.

Trustee Mark Erickson added that security for an outside window might also prove expensive. Trustee Connie Lindmier suggested tailoring the plans to allow for future expansion instead.

Responding to comments from the board that the building should be designed with efficiency in mind, CEO Nathan Hough suggested that staff members associated with the Sundance hospital and clinic would be happy to provide input.

“We are available if you guys need us in any way,” he said.

According to Kellogg, the foundation will be looking to secure an architect before the process of whittling the plans into a workable state begins.