'Medically awesome' is right

Mike Chapman is proud of the fact that he and his wife, Brandi, were both born in Coeur d’Alene at what was then Kootenai Medical Center.

But Mike and Brandi regret that their twins, Ryan and Riley, were not.

Chapman, chairman of the Kootenai Health Foundation’s board of directors, said during a grand opening ceremony Thursday night that because of complications, the twins — now freshmen at Lake City High School — had to be delivered in Spokane.

“Unfortunately, they weren’t born at home,” he said.

Today, they would be.

Thanks to Kootenai Health’s massive $57 million, 100,000 square foot expansion project that opens to the public on March 15, challenging deliveries won’t be so challenging at all. State-of-the-art equipment and resort-worthy rooms highlight Kootenai Health’s huge step forward. Hospital spokesperson Kim Anderson put it perfectly when she talked about many of the upgrades as being “not medically necessary but medically awesome.”

As fine as this community hospital has been for many years, it never even had a front entrance. It sure does now. And a rehab gym on the second floor. And much, much more.

There are too many people to credit because when you think about it, almost everybody in Kootenai County has played some role in helping our hospital thrive. CEO Jon Ness, the hospital’s board of trustees and the hospital foundation’s board all should take deep bows.

However, Jeremy Evans, Kootenai Health’s executive vice president of operations, was the man bearing overall responsibility for the project. That it was done on time and under budget is admirable. That it is nothing short of spectacular speaks highly of Evans’ meticulous oversight.

One aspect of the expansion that is so appealing is the knowledge that many of Kootenai Health’s employees contributed ideas and recommendations that were implemented. They’ll have a sense of ownership that transcends most workplaces.

During Thursday’s celebration, Liese Razzeto, board of trustees chair for Kootenai Hospital District, noted that because Kootenai Health is a not-for-profit, every single person in the district is a share holder in the hospital.

You’re rich in health care, and you can take that to the bank.