Hearts and Doors Open: Southwest Valley's newest hospital to see first patient today

Contact: Larissa Spraker, 623-882-1502
September 4, 2003

Today is the official birthday for the Southwest Valley's newest hospital! West Valley Hospital Medical Center opened its doors on Thursday, September 4 at 7 a.m. at 13677 W. McDowell Road in Goodyear.

This day marks a lot of firsts in the history of the hospital and the Southwest Valley. Not only is West Valley Hospital the first in the area, but today it will treat its first patient in the emergency room, a doctor will deliver the first baby, and there will be many other "firsts" still unknown.

The 74-bed acute care hospital was designed to provide services of greatest need to area residents, including obstetrics, medical and surgical services, intensive care and a full-service emergency department. Plans to expand the facility to 200-beds are already underway.

Hospital features include private, monitored rooms, flexible visiting hours, a home-like décor with full bath and room service to accommodate patients' schedules. The hospital's birthing center features 10 labor-delivery-recovery-postpartum suites which allow mothers to move through all phases of the birthing process, all in one comfortable, attractive room, fully-outfitted with the latest in medical equipment.

"This new hospital provides a host of new health care options to West Valley residents," says Debbie Flores, hospital administrator. "West Valley Hospital will not only provide much needed health care services to area residents, it will also attract specialty physicians who will be filling a void for services such as urology, neurology and hand surgery, which will now be offered locally."

The Southwest Valley is currently served by the West Valley Emergency Center at 140 N. Litchfield Road in Goodyear. This location will remain open until September 17, when it will permanently close, moving emergency services to West Valley Hospital. The Emergency Center serves nearly 30,000 patients each year, with a 14 percent increase over the past year. West Valley Hospital will increase emergency services to the Southwest Valley with a full service, Level II emergency department; 19-beds, including two trauma bays; and an EMS base station for local cities.

Media is invited to interview patients, physicians and staff on the first day of operation at the West Valley Hospital.