Lee’s Summit City Council Approves HCA Plan

By Russ Pulley, The Kansas City Star, Mo.

Nov. 11–HCA Midwest can now move ahead with an $88.4 million replacement hospital in Lee’s Summit.

At a hearing Thursday night, the Lee’s Summit City Council unanimously approved a site plan and special-use permit for the hospital.

HCA plans to move Lee’s Summit Hospital to a 64-bed facility at the northeast corner of U.S. 50 and Todd George Parkway.

Construction will begin as quickly as the company can get appropriate permits.

Carolyn Caldwell, chief executive officer of Lee’s Summit Hospital, said after the vote that officials were extremely excited to gain the council’s support.

The hospital expects to move to the new facility in 2007.

The current hospital opened in 1978 at 530 N.W. Murray Road. At that time it was part of the adjacent John Knox Village retirement community.

The new facility will offer services not available at the current site, such as obstetrical care. All of the patient rooms will be private, with 18 emergency care rooms, compared with nine at the existing hospital. The project includes a medical office building.

The new hospital will have fewer beds than the current 102, but considering its average patient load and competition, the smaller number of beds will be the right size, HCA officials said.

However, the site will accommodate more medical buildings. And a third floor could be built to add more beds.

Lee’s Summit Hospital’s main competitors will be Truman Medical Center Lakewood and St. Luke’s East-Lee’s Summit at Interstate 470 and Douglas Street.

City Councilman Nick Swearngin, whose 4th District includes the 39-acre site, said: “The residents in the area are pretty happy with the fact that it’s a hospital.”

Homeowners nearby fought an earlier proposal to build a Wal-Mart there.

Residents say the hospital will be a good neighbor.

HCA will pay for street improvements to ease the effect of traffic on the neighborhood.

HCA officials are working on what to do with the current building and are holding talks with John Knox Village, said Robin Dawson, Lee’s Summit Hospital spokeswoman.

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