Banner Estrella Medical Center celebrates four years of making a difference

PHOENIX (Jan. 12, 2009) – Banner Estrella Medical Center, located on 91st Avenue and Thomas Road will celebrate its fourth birthday on Wednesday, Jan. 14 2009.

As part of our birthday festivities, the hospital will be dedicating a 12-bed stroke unit.

Since opening in 2005, Banner Estrella has had:

• More than 47,450 inpatient admissions
• More than 9,400 babies born (including a record 313 babies born in December 2008)
• More than 15,000 surgeries performed (including a record 458 cases in December 2008)
• More than 259,750 Emergency department visits (including a record 79,751 patients in 2008)

“We are proud to provide excellent patient care that makes a difference in the Southwest Valley community,” said Banner Estrella CEO Kathy Bollinger.
The hospital also observed several important milestones in 2008:

• Banner Estrella opened its sixth floor, adding 36 new patient beds.
• Banner Estrella was recognized for its emergency preparedness during Super Bowl XLII.
• Banner Estrella became one of 18 Certified Cardiac Arrest Centers in Arizona.
• The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Women and Infants Services program was designated Level II EQ (enhanced qualification), allowing us to provide care to newborns at 28 weeks gestation or greater, versus 32 weeks gestation prior to the new certification.
• Banner Estrella opened a state-of-the-art, high-tech operating room, including voice activation, HD monitors and LED lighting. It is the sixth OR for the hospital.
• Banner Estrella launched its robotic surgery program.
  Banner Estrella now employs 1,400 people and is served by more than 600 physicians and 215 volunteers.

Banner Estrella Medical Center, located on the southeast corner of the Loop 101 Freeway and Thomas Road, is a 214-bed full-service, non-profit hospital offering general surgery, orthopedics, women and infants services, a full cardiac program with open-heart surgery, emergency services, and imaging services. Banner Estrella is part of Banner Health, the leading provider of health care services in the Valley with 10 hospitals. For more information, visit us online at www.BannerHealth.com.
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