MIHS, Phoenix Memorial Hospital Partner to Improve Access to Care in Downtown and Surrounding Areas

MIHS Press Release
March 12, 2007

(Phoenix) - Today, Abrazo Health Care and Maricopa Integrated Health System (MIHS) announced a public-private partnership in which MIHS will broaden its scope of service by relocating MIHS' 7th Avenue Family Health Center and opening an Urgent Care facility in the space formerly dedicated to the Phoenix Memorial Emergency Department. This will provide expanded access to urgent and primary care for residents in the downtown area.

"As part of a broader, collaborative community vision to bring the right complement of health care services to downtown Phoenix, we are excited to partner with MIHS to transform the Phoenix Memorial campus," said Dan F. Ausman, President of Abrazo Health Care. "While Phoenix Memorial will no longer be considered a general acute care hospital, the result will mean greater access to the affordable, urgent care the community needs."

Currently, more than 93 percent of all visits to Phoenix Memorial's Emergency Department are non-emergent.

"We are excited about this public private partnership. It is a positive step for our community and supports our mission of quality care and training future physicians. As downtown Phoenix begins its role as a seat for medical teaching, research and care, the Phoenix Memorial campus is an ideal location, one that will allow us to provide a broader range of care in a more responsible way to taxpayers. We look forward to opening an urgent care facility to better serve the community. This is a public private partnership that makes sense," said Betsey Bayless, CEO of MIHS.

Continuity of care for current and future patients is further assured by the fact that the MedPro Physician Group serves as the core medical staff for both Phoenix Memorial and MIHS. The 7th Avenue Family Health Center will relocate on June 1 and will be ready to receive patients that day, with no interruption in care. Patients requiring more acute emergency care will be transported to the Maricopa Medical Center less than five miles away.

"As a physician who cares for the urgent and emergency needs of our patients, I see this as a positive transformation. We need to right-size our health care services to match the real needs of the community. Expanded access to urgent care and availability of primary care services is what we need here right now," said Stephan Stapczynski, MD, MIHS Chairman of Emergency Medicine.

Local community leaders agree that this transformation is a step in the right direction.

"Phoenix Memorial and Maricopa Integrated Health System have over a 100-year history of caring for this community and training physicians. These two health systems are taking positive steps to adapt to better serve the community so they may continue their history of providing quality care. I see this as another step in that tradition," said Senator Leah Landrum Taylor. "There are many ancillary health care services that the residents of our community need and deserve, and the transformation of Phoenix Memorial into a one-stop resource is an innovative and well-constructed solution."

Leadership of Phoenix Memorial and MIHS are working together to educate and inform the community, physicians, employees and other interested groups. "The depth of our collaboration on this initiative is such that we are confident that we make the transition as smooth as possible for our patients and our employees," Ausman said. "In fact, we expect all of our employees to find new homes at other Abrazo hospitals or with MIHS here on the Phoenix Memorial campus."

About Abrazo Health Care - Abrazo Health Care comprises the Abrazo Institute; Phoenix Health Plan, which serves nearly 100,000 community residents; TMC Imaging Centers at seven locations across the Valley; and five hospitals, including: Arrowhead Hospital, Maryvale Hospital, Paradise Valley Hospital, Phoenix Baptist Hospital, and West Valley Hospital.

About Maricopa Integrated Health System - 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