California's Tehachapi Valley Healthcare District said it may have found a way to cut down construction costs on the new hospital, according to an article on the Tehachapi News website.

Instead of completing everything inside and out as originally planned, the new hospital would only need to have the exterior shell completed, hospital officals said.

Interior sections for departments like emergency services, laboratory, pharmacy and radiology, would be completed first so the district can occupy the building. Surgery, intensive care, obstetrics and administration would follow later.

This option cuts the construction shortfall down to $5.8 million from $23 million. It would also require only $4.5 million to equip instead of $13 million needed for a complete hospital, the article said.

Incomplete interior sections could be considered as remodeling construction instead of new construction.

Read the article.