West Valley Hospital Progress Report --- one year after breaking ground

Contact: Larissa Spraker, 623-245-6723
Date: May 23, 2003

On May 17, 2002 Vanguard Health Systems executives broke ground on the West Valley Hospital Medical Center (WVHMC), and with great anticipation the residents watched builders lay the foundation, erect the frame and stucco the exterior walls of the first hospital in the Southwest Valley.

Now one year later the face of the hospital is taking shape and construction is on target. From an outside perspective, a lot has happened in a short period of time, but many changes have taken place that aren't as apparent as the bricks and mortar progress.

Over the past year, the decision was made to include cardiac surgical services in the WVHMC scope of care - something that wasn't in the initial plans when they broke ground. "The physicians in the area expressed the need for these services now, so we listened and made a decision to move forward with the cardiac expansion," said Debbie Flores, WVHMC administrator and chief operating officer.

Another positive outcome to the initial plans is the construction of the medical office building on the WVHMC campus, which will break ground in July, 2003. The medical office building represents approximately 40 physicians in a host of specialties and a 10,000 sq.-ft. outpatient surgery center. "The relationship we've established with our physicians has helped us to build a solid healthcare campus and delivery system," said Flores.

June 4 marks 90 days until the hospital opens. "It has only been one year and we've been able to move at an aggressive speed to get this project completed, which in part is due to the participation of the City of Goodyear," said Flores. "We're happy to be opening on time and to be able to provide a service to the community that it has needed for some time."

West Valley Hospital is a 74-bed, acute care facility in Goodyear, Arizona focused on bringing comprehensive healthcare services to the Southwest Valley and designed to provide services of greatest need to the community, from state-of-the-art obstetrics, to medical and surgical services, cardiology, intensive care and a full-service emergency department.