It was a momentous day for the community of Bowie as local emergency healthcare returned with the grand opening of Faith Community Health System Bowie Emergency Room on Oct. 23.

Hospital officials, community leaders, board members, local medical personnel, hospital employees, and community members gathered under cloudy skies and light rain for the event, but it did not dampen the mood a bit as words of celebration were shared by all. The ceremony concluded with a ribbon cutting, snacks, and tours of sections of the facility. The ER began seeing patients on Oct. 1, which was a proud moment for all who have worked tirelessly for years to make the opening a reality after the closure of the former hospital.

Bowie Memorial Hospital closed its doors on Nov. 16, 2015, after nearly five decades of service to the area. In May 2017, the community was hopeful as the property reopened its doors as Central Hospital of Bowie, but once again, saw its doors closed in early 2020. It was the last rural hospital to see closure in the sate of Texas.

Emergency medical care became a major concern for the community as the property was in and out of the bank’s hands many times and up for sale on the courthouse steps. Citizens were made to rely on Nocona General Hospital and Wise Health Care in Decatur for emergency care.

Finally, the facility landed with investors who worked with Faith Community Health System. It was announced mid-August 2021 that they would open an emergency room at the former hospital location.

However, it was a longer process than anyone had anticipated as the building had been left to waste after its closing. Rain, freezing weather, thieves and neglect took a drastic toll by the time Faith Health System launched the renovation, but the last two years have been fraught with delays and unexpected costs, many caused by the pandemic and post-pandemic business environment. Renovations included new HVAC, wiring, roof and several large pieces of equipment including an MRI machine. The pandemic and resulting supply chain issues slowed the renovations.

There were years of behind-the-scenes work by many dedicated individuals to make the opening possible as they worked to overcome these obstacles and many more, a feat that Chief Executive Officer Frank Beaman could only compare to an iceberg in his opening statements during Monday’s ceremony.

“Driving here I thought, how do I characterize what has been done? All of you know the tip of an iceberg isn’t near what an iceberg looks like. This project was just like that. There was so much under the water that you didn’t see what all went on to make this possible,” said Beaman.

To read more, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of The Bowie News.