Regardless of industrywide challenges, health care officials from Lawrence Memorial Hospital said Monday that the city’s community hospital is strong and heading in the right direction.

Officials spoke at the hospital’s annual Report to the Community Monday night at LMH.

Speakers included Lawrence Mayor Mike Amyx, Medical Chief of Staff Dr. Christopher Penn, Endowment Association President Bob Georgeson and LMH President and CEO Gene Meyer.

Meyer said that despite trouble in the health care industry – including trouble recruiting nurses, emergency rooms over capacity and struggles preparing for a possible pandemic – the hospital has made strides last year to prepare it for the future.

Most notably, Meyer said, the hospital performed its first angioplasty last year as part of a LMH Heart Center. Meyer also praised employees and volunteers that have made the hospital, auxiliary and their programs work.

Now, the hospital will look toward the future, he said, surpassing the half-way point in an $8 million fundraising drive to expand the hospital with new and improved emergency room facilities, private rooms and more.