Phoenix hospital breaks ground on $160M emergency room
Oct 2, 2015, 1:01 PM
(Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix Photo)
PHOENIX — Banner Health hospital broke ground Friday on a new $160 million emergency room in downtown Phoenix.
Hospital CEO Steve Narang said a double-digit increase in inpatient admissions along with a 30 percent jump in surgeries was the impetus behind the new emergency room.
“We have more complex patients who are sicker who are choosing to come to a facility like this and our emergency department was outdated,” he said.
Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix said the more than 106,000-square-foot facility near McDowell Road and 10th Street will serve an additional 20,000 patients per year. Narang said the new emergency room is a sign the hospital is ready to grow along with the city.
“This is a symbol of what I say is a growing Phoenix community,” he said. “More people are moving here, it’s one of the population areas that’s supposed to continue increase in the next 10 years, so we’re saying, ‘Hey, community. We’re going to grow and invest with you.'”
The facility will include 60 private exam rooms, 40 observation rooms, five trauma bays and four operating rooms, along with other additions.
The facility is expected to open in July 2017 and be fully operational in March 2018.
KTAR’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.