Groundbreaking for Emergency Department and Surgical Services Renovation

Remarks from Jim Timpe, MS RT(N)(MR)ARRT, CEO of Salem Township Hospital at the Groundbreaking Ceremony on Sept. 24th, 2025

Friends,

I want to welcome all of you to the official groundbreaking ceremony for Salem Township Hospital’s Emergency Department and Surgical Services modernization and expansion. This project doesn’t stand alone. It builds on the progress of our hospital over the last 20 years, as we have committed to maintain state-of-the-art care and facilities close to home for our Salem and Marion County residents.

This journey started with the addition of the front areas of the hospital on Ricker Drive over 15 years ago, which saw a new lobby, bistro, Chapel and the Linda Mobley Community Room (named after my distinguished predecessor, who gave so much of herself to our hospital). That project also included a brand-new lab, physical therapy and administrative offices. Since then, both wings of the hospital have been updated. Medical/Surgical and ICU were expanded to accommodate a total of 25 private rooms, with new clinic spaces on the first floor. Our rural health clinic was most recently completed, which includes RHC Urgent Care, Primary Care and Behavioral Health as well as a new front parking area.

Now our journey continues as we kick off this project, which will include:

• Expanding our Emergency Department to 8 beds, including a new psychiatric treatment room to insure patient safety for this vulnerable patient population.
• Expanding our OR from 2 rooms to 4 rooms, with state of the art overhead surgical systems, as well as a new 12 patient same day surgery area with walls between beds instead of curtains, and a new 4 bed recovery room.
• An addition of nearly 3000 square feet to accommodate sterile processing within the main OR zone for the first time since we opened.

This modernization, originally approved for $17,000,000 but now due to be completed on time and under budget at under $16,000,000, is the result of the preparation, leadership and hard work of many folks, who I would like to thank.

• Our board of directors, who have spearheaded the modernization of STH with their leadership, strategic planning and expertise. Thank you to our board chair, Sandy Phillips, our vice chair Mike Morton, and our board members Mark Clark, Todd Phillips and Brian Gansauer. Your leadership is invaluable to our success.
• Our supportive community members, including the Salem Township board and leadership, our city of Salem, Marion County and our regional emergency management folks.
• Our supportive hard-working Salem Township Foundation whose efforts have supported the hospital financially, allowing us to remain state of the art, even in tough times.
• Our Auxiliary members, who give so much of their time to support the hospital and donate their proceeds to us as well.
• BSA Architects and Engineering, the architectural firm that has spent the last year with us planning and designing this project.
• Shores Construction, our general contractor and partner in this construction phase, and our frequent collaborator on previous projects.
• Our senior leadership team, Chief Nursing Officer, Lisa Ambuehl, Chief Financial Officer, Amy Gray, and Director of Administrative Operations, Susan Knapp.
• Our marketing team, including Director Diane Boswell, for signage, previews and helping to put this event together.
• Our Emergency Department Director, Susie Leuty, and our Surgical Services Director, Kristina Feig, who have worked over a year now with BSA to design their areas to best serve the patients and provide a great work environment for their colleagues.
• Our Infection Control Director, Janelle Wilkerson, for ongoing support during construction, and of course our Facilities/Plant Operations Director, Brad Crane, who has worked with BSA and Shores, and will be our construction liaison over the next 2 years of construction

Jim Timpe, MS RT(N)(MR)ARRT
CEO
Salem Township Hospital