`MEGA-CLINIC' ON `GO' AT CAIRO

CAIRO, Ill. -- A five-year dream may soon become a reality for Fred Bernstein and the Community Health and Emergency Services, Inc. here.

Construction of a "mega-clinic," a 20,000-square-foot medical center that will include outpatient surgery, a dental clinic and emergency room may get under way in early June.

"We're hoping to have all the financing and paperwork completed in time for a June groundbreaking," said Bernstein. "We're excited and happy about the happenings of the past week."

The new clinic, which will be located on a five-acre plot near the Interstate 57/Route 3 intersection north of Cairo, could be ready for occupancy in 12 to 14 months, said Bernstein.

Clinic funding was the topic of a special Cairo City Council meeting recently.

Mayor James Wilson said, "We approved a resolution to administer a $500,000 grant to Community Services for the clinic."

The grant, from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, had been awarded to the city for the clinic several years ago.

The construction is expected to cost $1.5 million, but Community Health already has $200,000 left in an escrow account from the state grant used for the project's design work.

"We need to finance about $800,000," said Bernstein. "We've already talked to Tamms State Bank, which will provide a portion of the loan. And, I've been talking with other banks concerning the rest of the financing."

The bank financing would be for a short term, one to two years.

"The long-term financing will come from the Central Laborers Pension Fund, which will do the `takeout' financing," said Bernstein. "The chairman of the fund said that a mortgage program was available for this type of financing and would assume the loan and take over the mortgage once the clinic is constructed."

The new clinic will replace the current facility and will be designed to attract more physicians to provide better health care in Cairo.

The city has been without emergency room facilities since 1988. Cairo's hospital, faced with financial difficulties, closed in 1986 and Community Health contracted with the state to keep the emergency room open. However, funds "dried up" and the emergency service as closed in August of 1988.

Since then, residents of Alexander and Pulaski counties have had to go to hospitals in Cape Girardeau, Sikeston and Anna to receive emergency care.

Health Services, which started in 1974, was operated by the Cairo Hospital until it became a separate entity in 1980. It is now housed in the U.S. Post Office building here.

"We have the top four floors," said Bernstein. "Physicians provide serves through the clinic, which operates its own laboratory and X-ray facilities."

Dental services are also provided through the clinic, along with social service programs, designed to prevent drug and alcohol abuse and teen pregnancy.

The clinic had more than 37,000 visits during 1990, with 21,000 of them for medical service.

"Right now, we're not designed to handle emergencies," said Bernstein.

The new center will eventually offer 24-hour emergency service, said Bernstein. "At first, the emergency room will be open only when the clinic is open," he said.

Bernstein said current hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but that hours may be extended from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. once the new clinic is completed.

"The clinic will help up keep our present physicians, and we've had inquiries from other medical specialists concerning the new facility," said Bernstein. "These specialists would provide services at the clinic one day a week, or month, whatever is needed."