Extending a lifeline: How a Kansas trauma center got a new roof

By Jesse Sanchez. 

A high-stakes hospital re-roof tested more than roofers’ technical skills, it demanded precision and communication. 

When a hailstorm ripped through Great Bend, Kansas, in July 2023, it left more than dents in cars and gutters, it compromised the roof of the University of Kansas Health System’s local campus, a facility that serves as part of the only nationally verified Level I Trauma Center in the region. The storm, fueled by 70 mph winds and hailstones up to 1.5 inches wide, didn’t just accelerate the aging of the roof’s polymer-modified bitumen membrane. It punched holes in parapet walls and triggered leaks, threats that could jeopardize not just property, but patient care. The health system couldn't afford a shutdown. That’s where Rhoden Roofing LLC stepped in, selecting MuleHide’s TPO fleece-back membrane as the solution for a critical re-cover that would ensure long-term performance while minimizing disruption. 

Based in Wichita, Kansas, Rhoden Roofing didn’t just bring materials and manpower to the job, they brought strategy. “Re-covering the existing roof would be faster and cost far less than a full tear-off,” said Brett Worrell, project manager at Rhoden. “And disruption to the hospital’s daily activities would be minimized.” That theme, minimal disruption, became the driving force of a 14-month undertaking that prioritized more than structural soundness. Every move, from adhesive choice to crane placement, had to consider the complex environment of a working hospital. HVAC units, natural gas lines and even helipad communications systems became part of the job’s risk matrix. 

And communication wasn’t just about job-site logistics. During the bid process, Brett fielded a surprise cost question from the hospital’s head of maintenance during a board meeting and delivered the answer before the meeting ended. That responsiveness helped seal the deal. Brett said, “If a client needs information, it’s crucial to get it to them right away.” 

By August 2024, installation was underway. The Rhoden team used a white fleece-back TPO membrane directly over the existing surface, skipping the cover board and speeding up progress. Despite the scale of the project, 51,600 square feet, work wrapped up five days early, in September 2024. 

But the real headline isn’t the timeline. It’s how the project was executed without interrupting trauma care, how crews navigated safety risks around gas lines and helicopters and how trust, built one answered question at a time, held the entire project together. As Brett shared, “The planning, preparation and communication, made it so the customer hardly knew we were there.” 

Learn more about how Rhoden Roofing and MuleHide delivered a high-performance roof without disrupting trauma care at one of Kansas’s busiest medical centers!

Original photo source: Professional Roofing