Sevier County Medical Center in De Queen, Ark., was due to open Dec. 6 with 15 inpatient beds and a 10-room emergency department; it had already been long delayed after voters approved a tax increase in 2019 to help fund the hospital.
But problems with the nurses’ call system delayed the necessary approvals, and a new licensing process will now take place Dec. 28, CEO Lori House said.
“We are hopeful that the hospital will then open in the second week of January,” Ms. House said.
The hospital should be boosted by a $6.25 million grant, which is making its way through the state legislature and is designed to help with the opening process.
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