Intermountain Press Release

Sandy, UT —Alta View Hospital, Intermountain Healthcare's 74-bed hospital in Sandy, is turning 25 years old and is celebrating a quarter-century of service to the community this Friday.

On Friday, birthday cake will be passed out to visitors, patients, and staff and a special anniversary luncheon at 11:30 a.m. will be held for community leaders, physicians, and hospital employees, including several of the hospital's very first employees.

In addition, all babies delivered at the hospital in January will receive special anniversary blankets to commemorate the hospital's 25th milestone. Colorful anniversary flags and banners are also on display across the hospital campus.

When the hospital opened its doors on January 7, 1982, it had 220 employees and 70 physicians on its medical staff. Alta View Hospital in 1982 measured 67,000 square feet and had 46 original beds. The cost to build the facility was just under $11 million. Since those modest beginnings, Alta View Hospital staff has performed 143,000 surgeries, delivered 44,000 babies, and admitted 150,000 people. In addition, the hospital currently has 74 inpatient beds, nearly 800 employees, and 525 physician staff members representing 27 medical specialties.

Each year 2,100 babies are delivered at Alta View's Women's Center, 37,000 patients are treated annually in the emergency department, and more than 264,000 patients are seen on an outpatient basis. Each year, Alta View Hospital provides about $2 million worth of charity care to patients who are unable to pay for their care.

"As we look to the future, Alta View Hospital will focus on expanding its services to meet the changing needs of the south valley communities we serve," says Becky Kapp, Alta View Hospital's administrator. "We're excited to continue our tradition of high quality healthcare thats convenient and close to home."

Seven administrators have guided Alta View Hospital over the past 25 years. These include Kapp, who is the hospital's current administrator. Past leaders also include Gary Pehrson, who served from 1978 to 1980; Jay Southwick, 1980 to 1990; Doug Fonnesbeck, 1990; Wes Thompson, 1990 to 2001; Bob Cash, 2001 to 2004; and Tim Bricker, 2004 to 2006.

Alta View Hospital is also an active community partner. As a founding member of the Healthy Sandy Partnership, the hospital works with a coalition of local government, business, school, and community leaders whose focus is to improve health and wellness. Examples of ongoing projects sponsored by the partnership include free annual flu shot clinics, school-based immunization clinics, dental screening initiatives, and much more.