SIDNEY - The Sidney hospital will break ground on a new $21 million long-term care facility next week.

Sidney Regional Medical Center Board Chairman Bill Pile announced a ground breaking ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 18 west of the current hospital.

"This new facility has been a priority since we built the hospital in 2014 and is an important initiative toward our focus of providing the finest quality healthcare to the members in the panhandle of Nebraska," Pile said. "Being able to support this project is very exciting for everyone involved."

Teams from the SRMC long-term care and Vetter Senior Living working with architects during the design process, focusing on the needs of the residents and improving staff efficiencies.

“The new long term care facility is designed with a greater user-friendly layout and supports our mission to provide our residents with the very best care possible," Vice President of Extended Care Services Judy Frerichs said. "We will continue to have 63 beds, a memory care unit as well as a direct-connecting walkway to the hospital that enhances the health and wellness efforts for our residents.”

Hospital CEO Jason Petik says the new facility will feature private rooms, an innovative communications system, and strong safety features.

“The focus of this project was to unite the two facilities, the Hospital with the Long Term Care, and strengthen our continuum of care," Petik said. "The design process we are using for this endeavor will promote resident care and engagement.”

The new long-term care facility is projected for completion in the fall of 2024 and is entirely funded by SRMC through low interest loans from the USDA as well as local lenders.

Farris Engineering, RDG Planning and Design, and Sampson Construction are leading the design and construction efforts of the new facility.