TUCSON, Ariz. (Jan. 16, 2026) – Banner Health on Friday marked the opening of the new pediatric emergency department at Banner Children's at Diamond Children's Medical Center. The expansion delivers faster care, shorter wait times and specialized spaces designed specifically for children's unique medical and emotional needs.
The new space features 22 treatment rooms, expanding capacity and improving access to emergency care. Families will benefit from a dedicated pediatric entrance and check-in process, completely separate from the adult emergency department, ensuring children receive immediate, focused attention from the moment they arrive.
The space includes:
- Sensory-friendly rooms designed to create calming environments for neuro-divergent children
- A dedicated behavioral health room providing a safe, appropriate space for children
- Family-centered rooms where parents can stay close during treatment
- A kids' playroom where patients and siblings can relax, play and feel more at ease
"We created a dedicated pediatric environment for the community," said Nathanial Fox, MD, pediatric emergency director. "The moment you walk into the colorful lobby, dedicated staff and specialists prioritize pediatric patients. The ED is a gateway to many pediatric services our organization offers, and we want that experience to start from the moment families step foot on our campus."
The project brought together clinical leaders, administrators, design and construction teams, project managers and patient families who helped inform decisions about how the department should function based on real-world needs.
The department is staffed by a dedicated team of emergency physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, techs, medics, and therapists, all with specialized training in pediatrics and available around the clock.
We’re thankful for the generous philanthropic investment from the community donors.
As southern Arizona's only Level II pediatric trauma center, the pediatric ED provides expertise and subspecialties not available elsewhere in the region. The facility connects directly to pediatric subspecialty services including surgery, oncology, cardiology, neurosurgery, intensive care, fetal surgery, the pediatric intensive care unit and trauma care. Banner serves as the regional referral destination for children requiring advanced or specialized emergency care.
About Banner Health
Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country and a leader in provider-sponsored health insurance serving 3.5 million people annually across six states. With 32 hospitals and more than 450 additional care sites, Banner’s array of services includes a health insurance division, employed physician groups, outpatient surgery centers, urgent care locations, home care and hospice services, retail pharmacies, stand-alone imaging centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation, behavioral health services, a research division, and a nursing registry. Through its longstanding, innovative relationship with the University of Arizona, Banner’s academic medicine division provides ground-breaking clinical discoveries, advanced life-saving care and educates 1,300 physicians annually. Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, a partnership with one of the world’s leading cancer programs, MD Anderson Cancer Center treats more than 103,000 patients a year. Banner Plans and Networks offers Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial health coverage to more than 1.2 million members. In 2024, Banner Health provided $1 billion worth of community benefits to assist those in need through a range of programs. Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health also has locations in California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com.
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