CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — From a brand-new emergency facility in Hurricane to plans for a campus in Desert Color, Intermountain Health is all about innovation and freedom. And they’re showing it in major ways, including sponsoring Southern Utah’s upcoming 99.9 KONY Country Fourth of July Celebration.
“Being a part of the Fourth of July events here in our city is important because it brings us together as a community,” said Mitch Cloward, market president for Intermountain Health in southwest Utah. “It’s a great opportunity to celebrate our independence, our heritage and our health.”
The goal of Intermountain Health is to provide more people with access to clinics, hospitals and emergency services. And they have brand-new facilities and more in the works to accomplish just that.
Emergency care in Hurricane
As the construction of an emergency department at the Intermountain Hurricane Campus continues near the corner of 2260 West and State Street, both residents and tourists will soon have easy access to 24/7 care, which is provided as a service of St. George Regional Hospital. This will help alleviate pressure and wait time at the neighboring St. George facility. Media Relations Lead Brad Gillman said the facility is on track for an October completion.
Hurricane Emergency, a service of Intermountain Health St. George Regional Hospital, is located at 135 N. 2260 West in Hurricane and will feature 10 emergency bays as well as an imaging corridor and a full-service lab.
“It’s just a really positive addition to the care Intermountain Health offers the entire area,” Clinical Operations Director Jared Stevens said. “We’re excited about how the building is progressing. We can’t wait to see it all come together.”
Land secured for emergency services in Desert Color
Intermountain Health’s St. George Regional Hospital announced construction will begin at Desert Color later this year for emergency services. The 24/7 emergency room, primary care and other services will be built within the Desert Color master-planned community less than a mile east of the Southern Parkway Exit off I-15 in St. George.
“We purchased the anchor piece of land for this site in 2019 and in May closed on the purchase of what will become a 38-acre campus,” Cloward said. “We have long desired to provide greater access to care for those we serve in Desert Color and SunRiver communities. This site will accommodate both immediate and long-term health care needs.”
The facility will be named Desert Color Parkway Emergency, a service of Intermountain Health St. George Regional Hospital. Once the facility plans are approved, a groundbreaking celebration will be held and construction will begin.
St. George adds more behavioral health beds
Big things are happening at Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital too, with the recent addition of six more behavioral health patient beds. According to a news release, the additional beds are added to the total number of behavioral health rooms at 24, with the option of double occupancy in several rooms.
These inpatient rooms provide a safe resource to community members needing behavioral health treatment when they are at the highest risk of trauma.
“Intermountain recently conducted our Community Health Needs Assessment, and addressing mental and behavioral health surfaced as the No. 1 health care priority,” Cloward said in the release. “Expanding the number of behavioral health beds is part of our stewardship to directly respond to our community’s needs and advance critical services. We continue to remain laser-focused on doing the right thing for all our patients, helping with medical needs regardless of ability to pay.”
St. George ambulatory surgical center opens
The St. George Intermountain Surgery Center opened in September 2022 and offers same-day urology and orthopedic surgeries in four specialized operating rooms. Most patients will return home shortly after surgery, where they can continue their recovery. The facility includes diagnostic and preventive procedures outside of the traditional hospital setting, which makes it more convenient and affordable for patients while maintaining high-quality surgical outcomes.
“We know the cost of care is high, and this new facility will be a major step in making it more affordable,” Dr. Zachary Leitze said in a news release dated Sept. 19, 2022. “This facility can potentially reduce the cost of surgery by 20% to 50% for common orthopedic procedures.”
St. George urgent orthopedic clinic
In an effort to reduce unnecessary doctor visits and help patients receive specialized care faster, Intermountain Health opened the Intermountain Southwest Ortho Urgent Care clinic on the St. George Regional Hospital campus last fall. This is Intermountain’s first orthopedic urgent care clinic, which improves access for patients with affordable orthopedic care and specialists.
“When you get injured, often the first instinct is to go to the emergency room where you will receive great treatment, but likely be referred to an orthopedist for follow-up care,” Intermountain Health orthopedic surgeon Warren Butterfield said. “Our goal is for patients to skip the extra step and expense of a trip to the emergency room and come straight to us.”
Because it’s an urgent care clinic, the cost of care can be far more affordable than care in the emergency room. Butterfield hopes this will be a better option for those with high deductible plans or no insurance at all. The new center’s physicians and orthopedic specialists can treat torn ligaments, sprains, broken bones and other common orthopedic injuries not severe enough to require hospital care.
As Intermountain Health focuses on bringing health and emergency services to all areas of Washington County, they’re excited to add sponsoring Southern Utah’s Fourth of July Celebration to the list of things they’re proud of. Join Intermountain Health as they bring the community together for this yearly concert and epic fireworks show. Obtain tickets and event information here.
“Intermountain’s mission is to help people live the healthiest lives possible,” Cloward said. “When you have your health, you can focus on the beauty of life and the many freedoms we enjoy in this great country.”
Written by JESSI BANG for St. George News.
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