Banner Thunderbird Medical Center to Expand by 200 Beds
Expansion project set for completion in 2008
(GLENDALE, Ariz.) – Dec. 10, 2005 – Banner Thunderbird Medical Center received approval from the Banner Health Board of Directors on Saturday, December 10 for a $198 million expansion project at the Glendale campus. The approval from the board allows Banner Thunderbird to proceed with their plans of building a 200 bed patient tower, expand emergency rooms services and the growth of other key services and infrastructure.
“This new tower and growth allows us to expand the services we can provide to the community,” said Colleen Hallberg, Banner Thunderbird Medical Center’s CEO. “As the Northwest Valley’s comprehensive health care center, it’s important that we meet the needs of our community, as well as the needs of our physicians.”
With the expansion, Banner Thunderbird will have 594 acute care beds and a new 64 bed emergency department. This additional capacity will allow Banner Thunderbird to pursue growth opportunities and become a tertiary (higher-level of care) level facility. Areas of focus will be pediatrics, high-risk obstetrics and neonatology, cardiology and cardiac surgery, vascular services, oncology, general surgery, neurosciences and neurosurgery.
“We have worked closely with our staff and physicians to design this growth to meet their desires and needs. It’s exciting to watch these teams come together with a goal of creating a facility for excellent patient care,” said Hallberg.
Currently, Banner Thunderbird has 394 acute care beds, which includes a 24 bed Children’s Center and a 42 bed Behavioral Health Center. The expansion will allow the Children’s Center to grow to 52 beds, which includes a 12 bed PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit).
“We provide the most comprehensive pediatric care in the Northwest and North Valley,” said Michelle Winters, Director of the Children’s Center at Banner
Thunderbird. “Our growth and pediatric surgical capabilities should give a parent some piece of mind that they will be able to stay in their community if their child gets sick.”
Construction is set to begin in early 2007 after City of Glendale approval. Completion is projected for November of 2008.
