MASSENA -- Massena Memorial Hospital is getting $5.8 million from the state Department of Health to help with their privatization process and modernization projects, according to MMH CEO Robert Wolleben.

MMH said some of the application’s “component requests” are emergency room and inpatient room modernization.

The emergency department project would add 4,500 square feet to the existing space. Wolleben has said at several MMH Board of Managers meetings that there isn’t enough space now to accommodate patient volumes.

MMH’s emergency room volume is about 15,500 patients per year, increasing 7 percent annually, Wolleben said.

In December, he said they want to make all of their first-floor inpatient rooms private, which is key for infection control.

At that meeting, MMH Board of Managers Planning Committee chair Ed Hamel estimated the pricetag for both projects around $7.9 million.

Other “component requests” of MMH’s application for the $5.8 million grant were retirement of existing debt, corporate governance conversion, facility modernization, cardiology services consolidation, IT conversion and software modernization, Wolleben said.

“We greatly appreciate the support of the state in recognizing MMH efforts as the sole community provider for health and medical services in Massena and the surrounding Northern St. Lawrence County. The $5.8 million awarded supports MMH’s efforts on the path to financial sustainability, and continuing commitment to the community,” he said in a prepared statement.

MMH’s walk-in clinic treats 9,000 patients, performs 1,600 surgeries and admits over 2,550 patients per year. Admission increase at a 2 percent annual rate, Wolleben said. Additionally, the facility operates four health centers employing about 25 providers.

“Massena Memorial Hospital is implementing a plan to ensure financial permanence and to expand essential services provided to the 42,000 people in the hospital’s underserved service area. The key component is this plan is conversion of Massena Memorial Hospital’s corporate status from municipal town owned to a 501c3 non-profit corporation,” Wolleben said. “The change in status provides Massena Memorial Hospital a path to financial permanence through expansion of needed community services, opportunities to increase profitability through joint venture opportunities, full participation in value-based purchasing opportunities available in the Medicare and Medicaid programs and potential participation (or) affiliation with larger medical facilities and or systems.”