On Aug. 3, 2024, a new chapter begins in the story of medical care in Wheat Ridge, Jefferson County and the West Denver metro area. On that day, more than 1,800 caregivers will begin to care for patients and the community at the new Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital.
The current Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge has served the community for more than 100 years. It was founded as a tuberculosis sanitarium and has grown with the community to become a leader in heart care, stroke care, and emergency and trauma care with one of the busiest emergency rooms in the state.
Moving west about 3.5 miles, the new Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital will continue the tradition of providing excellent care for the community and being Jefferson County’s only hospital that delivers babies.
The new hospital offers a design based on flexibility, efficiency, and future needs in healthcare. Specifically, the patient rooms are adaptable and can be changed to a more intensive care level if needed.
We are proud of the work done to make sure this hospital is well-designed and efficient for the people who provide care. We spent time with our front-line caregivers and measured the number of steps they take as they move about current work areas. We then looked for efficiencies through design. The new hospital places the nurse’s station and supplies closer to the patient rooms. This means they spend less time walking and more time at the bedside caring for patients.
The patient rooms offer floor-to-ceiling windows letting in more natural light. They also are much larger, providing ample space for caregivers to move about the room and for families to visit.
More than 600 pieces of art have been acquired to complement common areas throughout the hospital. We are proud to share that the committee selecting these pieces sought work from Colorado artists. Many of the pieces were created by Wheat Ridge residents, including the sculpture in front of the hospital created by nationally known artist Kevin Robb.
Throughout the summer we have invited physicians and caregivers to their new workspace for training, orientation, day-in-the-life events, and practice runs for move day. A team of project managers has systematically sourced, received and installed more than 10,000 pieces of equipment, and they will move more than 3,700 items from the existing hospital.
Move Day/First Patient Day, Aug. 3, will be an historic event for the Wheat Ridge community. At 6 a.m., we will close the emergency room at Lutheran Medical Center. At the same time, we will open the emergency room at the new Lutheran Hospital. From that point on, people experiencing a medical emergency should go to the new location at 12911 W. 40th Ave., Wheat Ridge.
At 8 a.m., we will begin to move patients to the new hospital. We have arranged for more than 20 ambulances to transport each patient who will be accompanied by trained medical professionals to ensure their safety and that there is no disruption in the delivery of services. The process, which could involve around 180 patients, should be completed by early evening. We have significant, detailed plans in place. We have practiced and refined the plans and partnered with the Wheat Ridge Police Department, local emergency services personnel, and a national company experienced in hospital moves.
This wouldn’t have been possible without years of planning and coordination among our caregivers, leaders and board members of legacy SCL Health and our new organization, Intermountain Health. We also have worked closely with the City of Wheat Ridge and its residents to ensure Lutheran Hospital continues to serve as a partner in health and a leading care provider for the region.