Funding to help with broadband projects at a rural Arkansas hospital cleared another legislative hurdle Dec. 13, but the hospital is still behind closed doors even as it was supposed to open Dec. 6 and may not be fully open in 2022.
Sevier County Medical Center in De Queen was scheduled to open earlier this month 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 the hospital's Facebook page says it is "opening soon" along with comments from the hospital dated Dec. 14 that "we are hopeful to be open within a few weeks."
The further delay in opening may be linked to a $6.25 million broadband funding project that was approved by a state legislative committee this week, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
Hospital CEO Lori House said in the report that the center may struggle to be fully open by the end of this year without the $6.25 million being completely approved.
The hospital did not return a call for comment as this story went to press.