PHOENIX (Oct. 6, 2025) – Banner Estrella Medical Center is celebrating the completion of a major phase of its hospital expansion project.
The west Phoenix hospital on Oct. 3 marked the opening of 36 new impatient beds on its fifth floor, which houses an additional adult acute care unit, with a ribbon cutting event. Earlier in the week, the hospital also opened a new operating room suite, all part of a project that follows Banner Health’s nonprofit mission of striving to make it easier for community members to receive timely hospital care.
“Reaching these milestones represents a significant step in expanding access to comprehensive health care services in our community,” said Courtney Ophaug, chief executive officer of Banner Estrella Medical Center. “When we complete this project, we'll have added hospital beds, surgical suites, and obstetric suites that will make it easier for our community to receive excellent, timely care close to home. We are proud to celebrate these two major achievements that bring us closer to that goal."
In addition to bringing hospital beds, surgical suites, and obstetric suites to the campus, the $35 million expansion is expected to add more than 100 new positions for healthcare professionals in the community. This investment in providing health care services to the community is scheduled to be completed in spring 2026.
“The West Valley is growing rapidly, and with that growth comes a greater need for access, quality, and compassionate care,” said Wendi Sears, chief nursing officer of Banner Estrella Medical Center. “This expansion not only enhances our ability to care for our community, but reinforces our mission: To make health care easier, so life can be better. We’ve been listening, we’ve been planning, and today, we are responding.”
Construction on the project began in November 2024, with the goal of increasing bed capacity to support Banner Health’s growth plans in the southwest part of the Phoenix area. The architectural design for the expansion was led by Cuningham, with engineering support from Affiliated Engineers and general contracting services provided by Kitchell.
For more information about services offered at Banner Estrella, please visit our webpage.
Banner Estrella Medical Center
Banner Estrella Medical Center is a nonprofit hospital in west Phoenix specializing in heart care, obstetrics, general surgery, emergency services and weight loss surgery. One of the first fully digital hospitals in the country, Banner Estrella has served as a model for dozens of new hospitals built around the world since it opened in 2005. Banner Estrella is part of Banner Health, a nonprofit health care system with 33 hospitals in six states. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/estrella.
Captions:
Ribbon cutting: from left to right, Christine Chavira, councilmember, city of Tolleson; Shari Weise, councilmember, city of Avondale; Wendi Sears, chief nursing officer, Banner Estrella; Courtney Ophaug, chief executive officer, Banner Estrella; Jennifer Fiegle, nursing director, Banner Estrella; Eric Orsborn, mayor, city of Buckeye.Estrella Leadership 2: from left to right, Nicholas Brooks, chief financial officer; Elizabeth Goldstein, human resources director; Wendi Sears, chief nursing officer; Courtney Ophaug, chief executive officer; and Megan Parsons, chief operating officer.
For further information contact us at: [email protected]
