IDAHO FALLS — The Idaho Falls Community Hospital is just 74 days away from opening.

Chief Operating Officer Casey Jackman tells EastIdahoNews.com the facility is planning to open Nov. 4.

“I’m extremely excited that we’re getting down to the end. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m anxious to get this open and show the other people of southeast Idaho what we’ve got,” Jackman says.

During a tour of the 182,000 square foot building Thursday, Jackman said there is still a lot of work to be done.

Construction crews are working steadily to complete it in time. The hospital was originally scheduled to open in mid-November, but a jump start on the project in February helped save a little time.

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Jackman says Mountain View Hospital has always been the “healthy man’s hospital” – a place to go for outpatient surgery or labor and delivery. Since Mountain View is physician-owned, there are federal limitations on how large the hospital can be. Idaho Falls Community Hospital will work alongside Mountain View to broaden the current medical offering with an emergency room, intensive care unit, and other acute care services.

“The kind of patients we’re going to see weren’t planning on coming to the hospital today. So, they’ll come through the emergency room after an accident, or after an illness becomes acute enough that they need to be seen by a doctor,” says Jackman.

Idaho Falls Community Hospital and Mountain View Hospital will be allies in providing care for patients. Patients of the new hospital will stay in private 240-square foot suites. Each suite will have its own bathroom with a shower, window and sleeper sofa in case someone wants to stay by the patient’s side.

“Not only do we want to take care of the patient, we also want to take care of the patient’s family. We’ve provided areas where private conversations for family members can happen,” he says. “We want them to stay comfortable while they’re supporting their family member.”

There are a total of 88 beds, with 22 more emergency room beds. The hospital will also include a restaurant-style cafeteria with a seating capacity of up to 73 people. A medical staff will consist of 350 to 400 people.

“Having an electronic medical record along with some sophisticated software in our dietary area allows us to make sure whatever the patient’s orders don’t go against any dietary restrictions or don’t trigger a food allergy. It’s another way for us to keep the patient safe and follow the physician’s orders,” Jackman says.

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The new hospital is going to provide patients in eastern Idaho better access to health care, Jackman says, and more options for people who may have previously had to leave the area to receive the care they need.

“It’s going to offer a collaborative effort with other hospitals so that we can work together to take care of people throughout southeast Idaho, not just Idaho Falls.”

The cost of the construction project is $116 million, but another $25 million will be spent on operating costs before the hospital opens up. The project is being funded by a medical trust that also operates Mountain View.

Idaho Falls Community Hospital is at 2327 Coronado Street.

SEE THE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE IN THE VIDEO ABOVE

East entrance to Idaho Falls Community Hospital. Mountain View and IFCH will share an entrance. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNewws.com