Board of Directors Votes to Replace Maricopa Medical Center

Aligning MIHS with downtown medical campus meets fiscal, timing objectives -

Phoenix

The Special Health Care District (SHCD) Board of Directors announced recently that they voted unanimously to support  a new public hospital in downtown Phoenix.  The board has directed Betsey Bayless, MIHS Chief Executive Officer, to spearhead efforts that would ultimately result in the construction of a new facility to replace Maricopa Medical Center.

The unanimously supported motion states: “The Special Health Care District Board of Directors hereby determines that it is in the best interest of the community, to support the building of a new, public hospital that will serve the Maricopa Integrated Health System’s Mission, Vision, and Values, and hereby directs staff to initiate the planning process with a particular focus on the area of downtown Phoenix, not to exceed a 3 mile radius from the current Maricopa Medical Center.  In making a determination of the new hospital location, great weight will be given to aligning with what is commonly known as the Bio-Med Campus and the supporting Arizona University systems.”

In 2003 voters approved Proposition 414 which created the Special Health Care District and included a $40 million property tax to help sustain the health system. On stronger financial footing for the first time in years, the SHCD Board of Directors believes the time is right to plan for the future.

“As it stands, Maricopa Medical Center would not meet today’s health care standards or building requirements.  As a Health District board member I know that quality care and patient safety are the gold standards of our industry,” said SHCD Chairwoman Paulina Morris.

Built using military plans, the antiquated facility — located at 24th and Roosevelt streets in Phoenix — is simply unable to meet the demands of a 21st century acute care hospital system that treats more than 300,000 patients annually. Because Maricopa Medical Center is nearly four decades old, asbestos abatement and regulations pertaining to patient safety, privacy and quality of care, dictate that previously acceptable construction and health care standards are no longer possible.  Applying these standards during any reconstruction would force Maricopa Medical Center to eliminate 200 beds; cutting  its capacity in half.

Home to the Arizona Burn Center, a Level One trauma center, the Valley’s second largest children’s hospital and its largest teaching hospital — responsible for training more than 400 doctors every year — MIHS needs to meet the public’s needs if it is to remain the cornerstone of health care in Arizona.

While a proposed site has not been chosen, the new hospital will be constructed within a three-mile radius of Maricopa Medical Center's current campus. With the University of Arizona Medical School, Translational Genomics Research Institute and the Arizona State University College of Nursing and Healthcare Innovation making downtown Phoenix the center of medical education in Arizona, Morris said our future looks bright.

MIHS Chief Executive Officer said, “This is a collaborative effort.  Discussions have been underway with the Universities, other health care providers and the City of Phoenix.  I am happy to have the board’s direction to begin moving forward on a new downtown hospital.”

Morris said, “As an elected official, my job is to do what is right for the citizens of Maricopa County. After careful consideration and research I believe this collaborative effort will serve the best interests of the people."

About MIHS

Maricopa Integrated Health System is headquartered in the heart of Phoenix. The cornerstone of the system is Maricopa Medical Center (MMC), a major teaching hospital with a history dating back more than 100 years. Best known for its critical care services, the hospital offers Level One trauma and intensive care for adults, babies and children. Two in-patient psychiatric care centers with nearly 200 beds provide services in behavioral medicine. The nation’s second largest burn treatment facility, the Arizona Burn Center, located on the main hospital campus, treats more than 800 patients per year. Eleven family health care centers are located throughout the Valley, providing primary and specialty care ranging from well baby to HIV-AIDS patient services. For more information about MIHS, visit www.mihs.org.

Last updated on October 7, 2008