MacDill prepares for new clinic

  • Published
  • By Airman First Class Stephenie Wade
  • 6 Air Mobility Wing
MACDILL AFB, Fla. --  The MacDill family will be saying goodbye within the next two years to one of the base's oldest facilities. 

According to the Hospital's Executive Summary, plans for construction of the new clinic began in 2005. 

"Construction began during the last quarter of 2007 and is scheduled to be complete in December 2009,"said David Lehosit, 6 Civil Engineer Squadron, a civil engineer oversight. 

"The new clinic is a multi-storied 254,000 square foot facility and is currently 8 percent complete." he added. 

MacDill's Family Treatment Center, located on base was constructed in 1956 and has evolved from having an emergency room to a clinic, and now a new state of the art facility. 

According to the hospital's executive summary, due to an abundance of hospital alternatives in the local civilian market, base officials found that it was more cost efficient to replace the hospital with a clinic. 

"One of the reasons why MacDill is building a new clinic is because Tampa General Hospital is so close, MacDill needs only to provide a clinic," said Mr. Al Martin, 6 Medical Group facility manager. 

"MacDill is not the only base that is down sizing its hospital to a clinic operation, many have already or are in the process of doing so for the same reasons. The inefficient configuration and failing systems and infrastructure of the hospital make it unnecessary to renovate the building," said Mr. Martin. 

Additionally the executive summary states that the electrical system, fire alarm system, nurse call system, plumbing system, and air conditioning system need to be replaced in the existing clinic. Required infrastructure and functional renovations would necessitate gutting the existing facility at a high cost and cause great inconvenience to patients and staff. 

"The new clinic facility will relocate to the main base area, near the Dale Mabry front gate," said Mr. Martin. 

"In the future patient's access will be improved, the parking space shortage will be corrected and all medical functions will be consolidated under one roof eliminating the separation of facilities. Now we can meet our standards and MacDill's needs." he added