Proposed Modernization Project
Frequently Asked Questions
Three Rivers is proposing a major modernization project to address aging infrastructure, improve patient care, and ensure the hospital can continue providing essential healthcare services locally for generations to come.
The proposed project would renovate and modernize the existing hospital while adding a modest connection to Three Rivers Family Medicine. Please refer to the buttons above for navigation to the other pages about this project.
Why does Three Rivers Hospital need to be modernized?
Three Rivers Hospital has been serving our communities for 77 years, and much of the hospital’s infrastructure and clinical space has been in use for decades.
Some of the building’s electrical, plumbing, HVAC and other systems are beyond the end of their useful lives. Replacement parts for older systems are increasingly difficult to obtain.
Some clinical spaces are also outdated or undersized for modern healthcare. Renovations would improve patient privacy, accessibility, workflow, infection control, and the hospital’s ability to accommodate modern equipment and technology.
Why renovate instead of build a completely new hospital?
This modernization allows Three Rivers to address critical infrastructure and space needs while making use of the existing building and infrastructure that can still serve the community.
The proposed approach focuses resources on the areas where modernization is most needed while preserving usable portions of the existing facility.
What improvements are included?
The proposed project includes:
- Updated electrical, plumbing, medical gas and HVAC systems
- Updated inpatient rooms with private showers
- A modest addition connecting the hospital to the clinic, which would include:
- Expanded, more modern operating rooms and radiology space
- A centralized entrance for all hospital and clinic services, rather than three separate entrances
- Helipad on the roof for quick patient transfers, which will also open up more parking for patients and visitors
- A dedicated ambulance bay connected to the Emergency Room
- A small expansion to the Emergency Department to add a decontamination room
- An upgrade to the EPIC electronic medical record (EMR), which will allow our patients to use MyChart for tracking appointments, accessing medical records, and linking their care at Three Rivers to other facilities (like Confluence Health) more easily
- Other improvements needed to modernize and support the hospital’s infrastructure and clinical operations
How will the project improve care for patients?
This project is designed to improve the patient experience in several ways.
Updated patient rooms would provide greater privacy, comfort and dignity. Expanded clinical spaces would give care teams more room to work and accommodate modern equipment. Updated infrastructure would improve reliability and support current healthcare standards.
A centralized entrance would make it easier for patients and visitors to navigate the hospital, while an attached ambulance bay would provide a more direct route for patients arriving by ambulance.
Most importantly, the project is intended to help Three Rivers Hospital remain a safe, sustainable place to receive care close to home.
How much will the project cost?
The current proposal is for a project of approximately $48 million.
The final project cost will depend on the final scope and ability to secure grants and other funding sources, but the cost to the community cannot exceed $48 million.
How would the project be paid for?
The project would primarily be financed through a voter-approved general obligation bond over a period of 30 years, at an estimated cost of 73 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Three Rivers Hospital will also continue pursuing grants, loans, and other funding opportunities that could help reduce the amount that must be financed through the bond.
Didn’t voters already approve funding for the hospital?
Voters approved the Emergency Room renewal levy in August, not the modernization project.
The two measures are separate and fund very different things:
ER levy — $1.46 million annually
The ER levy is an annual property tax levy that helps fund hospital operations, with a primary focus on maintaining 24/7 Emergency Room staffing and coverage. It does not pay for construction or modernization.
Modernization bond — approximately $48 million
The proposed bond would fund major improvements to the hospital’s facilities, infrastructure and technology, including improvements to the Emergency Room, operating rooms, diagnostic imaging, patient rooms and other areas.
If the modernization project is approved and completed, the hospital expects the improvements to increase our reimbursements and lower some operating costs. This could allow us to end the annual ER levy.
In other words, the ER levy helps pay for operating the hospital today; the bond would pay to modernize the hospital for the future.
Didn’t voters already vote on this project?
A similar project, yes.
A hybrid renovation bond proposal was on the November 2025 ballot. It received more than 50% approval, but did not receive the 60% supermajority required for a public hospital district bond to pass.
The hospital heard from the community through that process and continued evaluating its facility needs and options after the election.
Why is Three Rivers proposing another bond?
The underlying need for modernization has not gone away.
The hospital continues to have aging infrastructure and clinical spaces that require significant investment. The updated proposal reflects additional planning, evaluation and consideration of the hospital’s long-term needs.
Rather than allowing these needs to continue growing, the hospital believes it is important to address them while there is still an opportunity to make strategic use of the existing facility.
Why does the hospital need to do this now?
Many of the hospital’s building systems are aging, and the cost and complexity of maintaining older infrastructure generally increase over time.
Waiting also does not eliminate the need for modernization. It can allow infrastructure needs to become more urgent and potentially more expensive.
The goal is to make planned, strategic improvements rather than waiting until critical systems or spaces require emergency replacement.
Can the hospital pay for the project out of its existing budget?
Being a non-profit hospital, a project of this size cannot reasonably be funded through our normal operating budget.
Hospital operating revenue is used primarily to provide patient care, pay employees, maintain services and meet the day-to-day costs of operating a 24-hour healthcare facility.
Capital improvements of this scale require a separate long-term financing strategy.
Is the hospital looking for grants?
Yes.
Three Rivers will continue pursuing grants, loans and other funding opportunities that could help support the project.
Any outside funding secured for eligible portions of the project could reduce the amount that would otherwise need to be financed through the bond, and we’ll be sure to share that information with our communities.
How long would construction take?
Current planning estimates anticipate approximately two years to complete the project, if the bond passes.
Will the hospital remain open during construction?
Yes.
The project is being planned as a renovation so that Three Rivers Hospital can continue providing healthcare services during construction.
Construction would be coordinated around patient care and hospital operations.
Will the project improve emergency care?
The project includes a dedicated ambulance bay attached to the existing Emergency Room.
This would provide a more direct connection between arriving ambulances and the Emergency Department while also improving the overall functionality of the area. Rather than having an external trailer for decontamination use, it will be right inside the ambulance entrance. The helipad will stay close to maintain quick transfers to and from the hospital, but will not be touching down in a place where patients, staff, and visitors frequently walk.
The project is primarily a facility modernization effort; it does not replace or change the hospital’s commitment to providing 24/7 emergency care.
How can I learn more?
Three Rivers Hospital will continue adding project information, renderings, financial information, updates and frequently asked questions, so keep checking back to this page:
The hospital also plans to meet with community organizations, civic groups, schools, local governments, emergency service organizations and other community partners during September and October.
Can my organization request a presentation or hospital tour?
Yes.
Three Rivers Hospital leadership is available to provide short presentations, hospital tours, or both.
Community organizations interested in scheduling a presentation or tour can complete the contact form on the Bond page or contact:
Public Relations
509-645-3347
media@trhospital.net
Where can I ask additional questions?
We welcome questions from our community, and we may be able to add them here to our FAQ for everyone’s benefit.
Contact our Public Relations Department at media@trhospital.net or 509-645-3347.
