Houston Healthcare has filed a certificate of need with state officials for expansion and renovation of the surgical services area at Houston Medical Center in Warner Robins.

The project would include 29,000 square feet of new construction, major renovations and the adding of additional technology for operating rooms, the recovery area, endoscopy and pain clinic.

Stephen Machen, Houston Healthcare administrator, said the five-phase project would require about 24 months to complete.

“We submitted the CON last week and the state has a 120-day review cycle,” Machen said following Wednesday evening’s Houston Hospitals Board meeting at Houston Medical Center. “So we’re hoping for an early or late Christmas present.”

Perry Hospital expansion is also continuing with 30 percent completion of a project that will add nine patient rooms and renovate nurses stations, the physician administrative area and break room. David Campbell, Perry Hospital administrator, said new construction will be completed Nov. 27 with the renovation to be wrapped up in January.

July was not a good month in operating income for the county-wide medical complex. Sean Whilden, chief financial officer, told board members Wednesday that expenses exceeded operating income by $31,000 during the month. Perry Hospital lost $292,000 while Houston Medical Center posted a $233,000 gain.

A major reason for the decline was major increases in charity and bad-debt write-offs. Houston Healthcare paid $7.3 million in those two categories for the month, bringing the total so far this year to more than $45.7 million – $12 million more than last year at this time. The system receives no tax dollars from the county or local city governments.

The complex remains strong financially with net income, including investment proceeds, of $8.4 million so far this year.