Millions going to hospitals on MU campus

Millions of dollars approved on Thursday will fund renovations for MU’s health system.

The University of Missouri Board of Curators met and approved two projects they think will bring job growth and increase healthcare in Mid-Missouri.

The Missouri Orthopaedic Institute will receive a $35 million addition consisting of three floors of space for clinics, operating rooms and overnight patient rooms.

The University Hospital will get a $19 million renovation on four floors to replace outdated rooms.

Dr. James Stannard, chairman of orthopaedic surgery, believes the construction is both necessary and beneficial.

“We’re getting to a point where we either need to limit growth, or we need more space to grow,” he says.

For work at the Missouri Orthopaedic Institute, $30 million dollars will be paid for by debt financing, with the other $5 million coming from healthcare reserve funds.

The $19 million for University Hospital will come from health care reserve funds as well.