HARRISONBURG—Rockingham Memorial Hospital announced today that it is moving forward with plans to construct a new hospital that will launch RMH into its second century of service to the community.


At its meeting on August 23rd, the RMH Board made a landmark decision to plan, design and build a new Rockingham Memorial Hospital on a site “large enough to satisfy the needs of our community and region for the 21st century,” announced Hospital Board Chair Barbara Stoltzfus.


Stoltzfus noted that RMH will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2012. “The Board used this strategic planning opportunity to develop an exciting and bold vision for RMH’s second century of service to the community,” she said.


Hospital President T. Carter Melton explained that, for the past two years, the hospital has been intensely studying the future health care needs of the community to determine how RMH can best meet those needs. Part of this study was a detailed assessment of the current facility and site and their ability to meet the future needs of a rapidly growing community. Included with this assessment, Melton said, was an equally detailed study of the options open to RMH.


After looking at all of the options available, Melton noted, “Our consulting architects and engineers determined that the cost of upgrading and expanding on the current 15-acre site would require an investment of over $150 million, create a constant state of construction and disruption for the next 5-7 years, and leave us with a solution that would be marginally adequate for the next 10-12 years. For an investment of this magnitude, the community deserves a better long-range return—one that positions RMH for a second century of service. The new hospital will cost approximately $190 million, which will be financed with a combination of reserves, borrowing and fundraising.”


“With this new and exciting direction,” he added, “we really can plan for our second century of service to the community and continue our tradition of bringing the latest in medical services, innovation and technology to the people we serve today and tomorrow.”


Melton said that RMH currently has several large parcels of land under option for purchase. “Our immediate task is to determine which best suits our future direction,” he said.


Officials from both the City and County expressed support of this significant project.


“The City of Harrisonburg recognizes that a state-of-the-art, full-service hospital is essential to the quality of life and economic development of our entire area,” said Mayor Larry Rogers. “This exciting announcement by RMH brings both short- and long-term economic benefits to our area. We look forward to working with the hospital in support of this important project.”


“This project will have long-term benefits for the County and the surrounding area,” added Charles W. Ahrend, chairman of the Rockingham County Board of Supervisors. “Rockingham County has had a long and very positive relationship with RMH. We worked closely with the hospital in bringing the East Rockingham Health Center to eastern Rockingham County, and we look forward to working with the hospital on this endeavor.”


Area legislators also have expressed support.


Said 26th District Delegate Glenn Weatherholtz, “Over my many years of service to this community, since I was a State Trooper in the 1960s, then as sheriff and now as our delegate to the General Assembly, I have had the opportunity to work closely with RMH. This decision is a continuation of the hospital’s commitment to the community. If I can be of assistance in the General Assembly, I would welcome the opportunity.”


Added Sen. Mark Obenshain, “As a member of the Valley legislative delegation, I have already had the opportunity to work closely with RMH. The commitment of the Board, the Administration and the entire hospital team to the community has been really inspiring. This is an exciting time for RMH. The benefits of this endeavor to the community and the region will be substantial and will be felt for years to come. I look forward to working with the hospital in support of this endeavor.”


Melton added that there is a tremendous amount of work ahead for the planning team at the Hospital and that RMH will keep the community updated as it reaches major milestones in the days and months ahead.


“Everyone needs to appreciate that this will be a four-to-five year project,” said Melton, “and during this time RMH will continue to provide our full array of high quality medical services with no interruption at our current site.”

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