KOAM TV 7 Joplin and PittsburgRenovations underway at Freeman Hospital in Joplin

Freeman Hospital's west campus in Joplin will soon be able to handle more patients thanks to a renovation project.

The May 22 tornado left Freeman as the only fully-functional hospital in the community and workers there they've seen an increase in people needing medical care.

Two floors of additional space should work towards meeting that need.

Freeman workers say this project to add new space has already helped the local economy.

"We've hired over 100 RN's since May the 23, we'll continue to hire through the end of the year," says Freeman Health System President Gary Duncan.

Freeman plans to hire an additional 150 registered nurses and other people to staff the renovated 5th and 6th floors, including 48,000 square feet of space.

There are also about 8o construction workers on the job.

"The Infusion Center is just for outpatient procedure, where people come in, they need extra fluids, or chemotherapy, or injections, or IV infusions, and in the infusion center, we have six bays, six large bays where people can come up, sit in a chair and receive their infusion," says Jeff Carrier, the Assistant Chief Nursing Officer.

The hospital will also have 58 more beds for patients in surgical intensive care and cardiology.

"Since the May 22 storm our census increased anywhere from 15 to 25 percent, that means we're seeing anywhere from 50 to 60 additional patients every day in our health system," says Carrier.  "So by adding a total of 58 new beds on the fifth and sixth floor, that will be able to accommodate the need in our community."

The project's total cost is $15 million, including a $100,000 gift from Commerce Bank and the William Kemper Foundation.

"St. John's and Freeman are the two largest employers in this area so how can you better impact the local economy, the health of this community, then by contributing to a project like this?" says Fed Osborn of Commerce Bank Joplin.

The fifth floor is scheduled to be completed in April while the sixth floor will open in July.

Freeman workers say each new patient room will be bigger than older rooms in the hospital.  There will be enough room for some family members to stay inside patient rooms.  There's also going to be extra amenities such as flat screen TV's.