PHOENIX (Jan. 9, 2008) – Banner Estrella Medical Center is opening a sixth patient floor to meet the growing health care needs of the community. The $13.8 million expansion project adds 36 beds – 12 dedicated to obstetrics patients and 24 to orthopedics and medical and surgical patients. This brings the total hospital bed count from 172 to 208. An eight-bed well baby nursery is also being added.
“Since our opening three years ago we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of new moms who have chosen to have their babies at Banner Estrella, as well as an increasing demand for orthopedic surgeries,” said Banner Estrella CEO Kathy Bollinger. “This expansion will help ensure we have enough beds available to care for those who have chosen us for their health care needs.”
The public and media are invited to attend a Grand Opening celebration of the new 6th floor from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 19. An official ribbon-cutting will take place at 11 a.m.
A record 2,772 babies were born at Banner Estrella Medical Center in 2007, an increase of 27 percent from 2006 and the largest increase of any Banner Health hospital in Arizona. The hospital has seen consistently higher delivery numbers since it opened in 2005. That year, 1,368 babies were born. In 2006, this number climbed to 2,190, an increase of 60 percent. Delivery numbers are expected to approach 3,200 this year.
When the hospital’s new patient floor opens at the end of this month, the hospital will offer a total of 29 postpartum beds and 11 labor and delivery suites. A well baby nursery will be added to the new patient floor and the current Level II nursery is in the process of expanding to 13 beds.
Of the 36 new patient beds, 24 will be dedicated to medical/surgical and orthopedic patients. Banner Estrella Medical Center performs more orthopedic surgeries than any other hospital in the southwest Valley. In 2007, the hospital performed close to 800 orthopedic surgeries and procedures. The floor will utilize a new patient lift system, which will be safer and easier for patients and staff.
All rooms will feature the same innovative design elements found on other patient floors in the hospital, including nursing alcoves that allow nurses to monitor patients, electronic charting, all-private rooms, living space for family, room service meals, and widescreen TVs with access to health education videos, games, the Internet and pay-per-view movies.
Banner Estrella Medical Center, located on the southeast corner of the Loop 101 Freeway and Thomas Road, is a full-service hospital offering general surgery, orthopedics, OB services, cardiac services with open-heart surgery and emergency services. Banner Estrella is part of Banner Health, the leading provider of health care services in the Valley with eight hospitals.