Banner Thunderbird debuts patient tower at community open house
GLENDALE, Ariz. (March 30, 2009) – The public is invited to a free tour of nonprofit Banner Thunderbird Medical Center’s new six-story patient tower. The tours are offered during a community open house event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 25 at the hospital, 5555 W. Thunderbird Road, in Glendale.
A limited number of tours are available. Those interested in touring the new tower must call 602-230-CARE (2273) to schedule a tour time. Operators are available to take tour reservations between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. The reservation deadline is April 22.
“We are proud to show off our new patient tower which will help Banner Thunderbird meet the needs of this growing community,” said CEO Tom Dickson. “The community open house offers a rare opportunity to see our new state-of-the-art patient care areas that will have restricted access once the tower opens to patients.”
The $289 million, six-story tower is located on the south end of Banner Thunderbird’s campus and will open to patients in mid-May. The new tower is topped with two Federal Aviation Agency licensed helipads and will house the hospital’s new and expanded Emergency department.
In addition to the large first-floor Emergency department, the lower level will house respiratory therapy, hospital support services and human resources. The second floor will have a 20-bed Intensive Care Unit for general surgical patients and a 20-bed Intensive Care Unit for heart patients. The third floor will also have 40 inpatient beds for heart patients. The fourth and fifth floor will also house 40-bed inpatient units. Shelled space on the sixth floor allows room for future expansion.
Banner Thunderbird’s bed count will grow from 409 beds to 479 beds in 2009 making it the fifth largest hospital in Arizona. When the hospital’s South Tower is fully completed, the hospital's total bed count will increase to nearly 600 beds.
About Banner Thunderbird Medical Center
Banner Thunderbird Medical Center is part of Banner Health — a nonprofit health system with 22 hospitals throughout the West. It is a 409-bed acute-care hospital offering an array of services including heart care, surgery services, cancer care, orthopedics, pediatrics, Level III critical care nursery, neurosurgery and a comprehensive women and infants services program.
