BRISTOW, Okla. — After years of the facility closing and changing hands, St. Francis Health System opened and is welcoming patients in Bristow.
They officially opened their doors in Feb., but held a ribbon cutting and blessing of the facility about six weeks later. The hospital is complete with emergency care, imaging, physical therapy and a lab.
WATCH: St. Francis signs five year lease, leading healthcare for rural community:
“It’s been super busy," said Administrative Supervisor Ryan Powell. "It’s been a challenge, but a really good thing for our community.”
For nearly twenty years, Powell has called Bristow home.
Over the years, he said he's spent time working in the hospital and caring for his community, making this moment mean so much more.
"My kids are in school here, my mom and dad live here," said Powell. "For me, t was super important to watch this hospital progress to get opened by St. Francis. I just know the level of care that the ‘pink palace’ brings.”
WATCH: 'It's a great thing': Saint Francis taking over Bristow hospital
In the six short weeks they've been open, Powell told 2 News Oklahoma's Stef Manchen he's seen the number of patients they care for in a 24 hour period nearly double — emphasizing the need.
Holly Shinnen-Gramm also grew up in Bristow, and is a physicians assistant at the Warren Clinic just seven miles across town.
She said being a rural community, the need is greater for the people who live here to get life-saving care.
“We have a very scary situation in where our patients oftentimes have to make choices on whether they’re going to pay for gas to get to Tulsa or choose between eating and paying their electric that week, if their car will make it to Tulsa or a larger area to get that specialty care," she said. "So being able to bring in some of those specialties to Bristow is huge.”
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Mayor Kris Wyatt is about to enter her fourth year leading the city of Bristow. She's seen it all when i comes to the hospital — the two year closure, the changing of operators — and said it's a big day to get to some solid ground.
“We struggled for many years to find an operator to operator the hospital without honestly a lot of financial support from the city," said Wyatt. "When st Francis made the call, it was one of those almost too good to be true opportunities, and they have delivered on almost every single promise that they made.”
Thus far, she said the feedback from neighbors has been overwhelmingly positive.
“There’s no way to support a community, it’s residents, it’s employers, its surrounding residents than having quality 24/7 access to spectacular health care.”
St. Francis' lease on the property is for five years — but Powell said he doesn't anticipate they leave when the lease come to an end.
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