(Friona, Parmer County; Borger, Hutchinson County; Hereford, Deaf Smith County) - Three Panhandle communities are in different stages of experiencing a rare event for rural Texas towns — the opening of a new hospital. Friona and Borger have projects ongoing, and voters approved Hereford's.

Friona: Officials are expecting to move into the newly constructed Parmer Medical Center, just 22 miles from Hereford sometime in November 2009. 

New features include an aquatic therapy program housed in an expanded physical therapy department.

Borger: Construction on the Golden Plains Community Hospital is expected to start in January 2010. The 25-bed replacement hospital is being funded by a $17 million note from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's rural development office and a 25-year, $10 million loan from Happy State Bank.

Hereford will soon have a new 80,000-sf, 41-bed medical center on 15th Street in Hereford. Hereford will have enough room for 16 physicians, allowing growth from the ten the hospital has on staff currently.

Deaf Smith County voters approved a proposition to allow the hospital district to issue $28 million in bonds. The new hospital will replace the current facility built in 1924.