Citizens Health, the healthcare provider serving rural northwest Kansas, has completed construction of a new medical center replacement hospital in Colby, Kansas, significantly expanding access to high-quality care for patients across the nine-county region.
McCarthy Building Companies served as construction manager for the project, working with HFG Architects as the design architect to deliver the facility on a fast-track schedule through a design-assist approach that enabled early collaboration and long-term operational sustainability.
Located adjacent to the existing facility, the modern campus consolidates Citizens Medical Center’s services into a single, efficient, patient-centered location with capacity to grow alongside the region’s needs. The approximately 171,000-square-foot, single-story, 25-bed hospital represents a $105 million investment in rural healthcare infrastructure and serves as the only hospital between Hays, Kansas, and Denver, Colorado providing comprehensive family care. Supporting 42 medical specialists, the hospital plays a vital role in meeting the healthcare needs of the region.
The facility includes a full-service emergency department, inpatient beds, a surgery department with an orthopedic focus featuring four operating rooms and multiple procedure rooms, a clinic for 30 physicians, and comprehensive support services including dietary, laboratory, radiology, physical therapy and oncology.
Notably, the facility is among the nation’s largest hospitals funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Critical Access Hospital program, underscoring a significant commitment to expanding access to high-quality care in rural communities.
Additional trade partners and design professionals included Farris Engineering, BHC Engineering, Apex Engineering, Rand Mechanical, Bart’s Electric, Midwest Drywall, Hi-Plain Doors, Dunlap Concrete and Pryor Fire Sprinkler. Mass grading was completed by Sporer Land Development.
Throughout the project, McCarthy committed the full depth of its healthcare expertise and resources to ensure the facility met the high expectations of patients, families and caregivers—despite the unique challenges often associated with constructing healthcare facilities in rural settings.
As part of that commitment, McCarthy’s self-perform building controls team was engaged during the design development phase, working in close partnership with Farris Engineering to deliver a Niagara-based building automation system tailored specifically to the hospital’s needs. This early collaboration ensured the seamless integration of efficient, reliable and future-ready systems supporting patient care, staff workflows and long-term operational performance from day one.
The completed Citizens Medical Center Replacement Hospital reflects a shared commitment by Citizens Health, McCarthy and the project team to strengthening rural healthcare access and ensuring residents of northwest Kansas can receive high-quality care without traveling long distances.
