Harlowton is getting a new hospital. Federal officials and hospital staff broke ground at the new site in Central Montana Friday.
The new 36,000 square-foot facility is scheduled for completion by the end of next year. Wheatland Memorial Healthcare in Harlowton is more than 70 years old and staff say it’s hard to keep the building up to date with modern medical standards.
Many rural hospitals have closed across the country because of funding issues and aging infrastructure. If Harlowton’s hospital were to shut down because of those issues, the next facility is more than 50 miles away.
Wheatland Memorial is benefitting from about $20 million low-interest federal loans and grants that will help build the new hospital and keep access to critical health care in the community.
