Quickly Taking Shape 

 Freeman Fort Scott Hospital Plans Under Review by State Officials

FORT SCOTT, Kan. – There’s been plenty of positive movement and momentum surrounding Freeman Fort Scott Hospital since it was first proposed to 100-plus cheering residents last June.

Freeman Health System, the region’s largest provider of healthcare services, is in the process of seeking licensure to open and operate an acute care hospital. Upon obtaining licensure, the proposed 10-bed general medical unit and 24-hour emergency department will operate within the city’s former hospital site located at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. Freeman will lease the space from Kansas Renewal Institute, which recently purchased the former hospital building.

According to Freeman Neosho Hospital Chief Operation Officer Renee Denton, the all-important planning for required renovations and the design phase has been completed. The requested renderings have been submitted to state officials, and once approved, renovations will begin. Denton offered one example of minor renovations that would be required – the need for some of the bathrooms to undergo minor renovation to assure they meet current Americans with Disabilities Act compliance standards.

“We submitted those plans to the state and are waiting for their authorization,” Denton said. “Once plans are approved, we will immediately send the plans out for bid to have the required renovations completed.”

There’s plenty of “quiet” work currently underway at the former hospital building, she continued: Evaluating infrastructure capabilities that will be needed to support the overall computer system, operability and building the electronic medical record; evaluating and sorting through discarded equipment to determine what is operable; and identifying all new laboratory, radiology and pharmacy equipment needed to support the new hospital and emergency department.

“Representatives at Kansas Department of Health and Environment have been very helpful to work closely with us,” Denton said. “They have been very willing to help in whatever way they can. They, too, are supportive of the effort we’re trying to bring to fruition in Fort Scott.”

A community of roughly 7,600 residents and the county seat of Bourbon County, Fort Scott has been without a hospital since 2018. The hospital’s emergency department stayed open until it, too, closed in December 2023, forcing residents to seek medical treatment 30 minutes away in Pittsburg or across the state line in Nevada, Missouri.

The emergency department will consist of six bays, with 365-day, 24/7 coverage, by licensed physicians and trained nursing staff who will be well prepared to provide emergency care. Support for the emergency department includes laboratory, radiology, computerized tomography and an inpatient pharmacy. Opportunities to have outpatient lab, radiology and CT services will also be available to the community from the hospital.

The specific opening date for Freeman Fort Scott Hospital in 2025 will crystallize as state officials review Freeman’s submitted plans and required renovations are completed. Freeman Fort Scott Hospital will be prepared to undergo the state facility survey followed by the hospital licensure survey.

“We are optimistic that we can be open in the Spring of 2025, and what we continue to work toward right now,” Denton said.  “There is no community that should be without emergency services, and we are committed to work as quickly as possible to bring these life-saving services to the Fort Scott community.

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About Freeman Health System
Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. In 2024, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers and their experiences. U.S. News & World Report named Freeman Health System one of the Best Hospitals for 2022. With more than 320 physicians on staff representing more than 90 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, children’s services, women’s services, and many others for all of the Four State Area. Freeman is also involved in numerous community-based activities and sponsored events and celebrations. A