After Mexico lost the Audrain County Community Hospital in March 2022, many people have wondered if the town would ever see another hospital open here.

Donna Corrado, R.N. and her husband Doctor Joe Corrado, broke some news at the Noon Kiwanis Club meeting held at the Oaks in Mexico on Wednesday, Feb. 15.

Mrs. Corrado tells the Mexico Ledger they could see the writing on the wall in 2018, when SSM decided they would no longer provide anesthesia services and no longer would do surgeries after 3 p.m. on Fridays.

A market study from a Wisconsin company was commissioned that looked at numbers from the hospital in Mexico from 2014-2018. The study indicated that if a hospital in Mexico served all of Audrain County it would need 44 beds. The study also showed that financial problems stemmed from big salaries of executives. The Mexico hospital from 2014-2018 on average had 50 people visit the emergency room every day resulting in 300 emergency room visits per week. Those people are currently going to urgent care since there is no longer an ER in the community.

"Then COVID hit and new owners Noble Health took over and things began to implode. As the original hospital continues to change hands, has lost its license, and has been damaged from neglect, some people think it is time to give it up. It's now tied to some law suits and criminal charges, and people are seeing nothing new happening there. Some wonder if they will ever be allowed to use that facility again," said Mrs. Corrado.

Starting in 2020, Mrs. Corrado and Doc. Joe started meeting with around 20 local physicians and pharmacists to put a plan together. During those meetings they all came to the conclusion they needed to open a community hospital, community driven.

In Oct. 2022, Mrs. Corrado went forward with a medical building design company (Erdman) to create the plans for a "right sized" medical center. Based on discussions with representatives from each department, and past usage, a 65,000 square foot building was created.

Donna Corrado told the audiences the plan is in place to open a critical-access hospital.

"Eddie Sydenstricker has donated land next to Wal-Mart and facing the bypass in Mexico. It will be two stories, with thirteen to fifteen beds. It will have a ER, a place for surgery, dietary and place to deliver babies."

Mrs. Corrado said they are currently talking with several County and City officials and exploring multiple options about funding for the project. It is thought that the project is probably 20 months from the first shovel to the first patient and could take up to 16 months to build.