Community Hospital of Fairfax, Mo., celebrates 60 years of operation this November. On Tuesday, it celebrated a number of even greater magnitude.

The primary health care provider for Atchison and Holt counties got a $15 million guaranteed loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development program. Northwest Missouri Congressman Sam Graves, who lives in Atchison County, announced the loan's approval on Tuesday afternoon.

The money will go toward construction of a new hospital building.

"This funding will ensure quality medical care for another generation," Mr. Graves said.

Myra Evans, the hospital's chief executive officer, said the federal loan guarantee proves essential in financing the "replacement hospital."

Last year, the community embarked on a $1.5 million capital campaign for the facility. Last month, the effort stood about $48,000 short of its goal.

The not-for-profit hospital, which employs 115 people, gets no local tax funds, its revenues coming from paid medical services and donations. The federal government regards it a critical access hospital, a designation that enhances Medicare payments and allows rural hospitals a greater chance at economic survival.

The new hospital will have more space for an outpatient clinic and physical and occupational therapy. Its emergency room will be adjacent to the hospital's acute care wing, an improvement over the existing facility.

Mr. Graves, who was born at the hospital in 1963, supported the loan and, in March, got $381,000 included for the construction project in a congressional spending bill.

Ken Newton can be reached at kenn@npgco.com.