Intermountain’s Spanish Fork Hospital, which was originally slated to open in October 2020, is now scheduled to open in early April 2021.
Two main factors contributed to rescheduling the opening:
- The COVID-19 pandemic and related economic slow-down have had a significant impact on the healthcare industry. Patient volumes throughout the Intermountain system dipped significantly during the early weeks of the pandemic, causing system leaders to take a cautious and measured approach in evaluating the timing of major construction projects.
- Design changes and COVID-19 related logistical issues have also impacted the project schedule.
“I appreciate the thoughtful analysis by many of our leaders that led to this decision and included community need, caregiver impact and financial considerations,” says Joe Mott, vice president and chief operations officer for Specialty-Based Care. “The world we live in today is very different than it was just a few months ago, and it’s our responsibility to ensure our system remains strong so we can continue to fulfill our mission.”
The original size and scope of the hospital remains the same which will allow Intermountain to meet the needs of the fast-growing communities of southern Utah County, Joe says.
The 30-bed hospital sits on approximately 45 acres east of I-15 and north of U.S. Highway 6. When it opens next year, the new facility will focus on women’s and medical/surgical services consistent with a community hospital. It will include:
- Five Labor and delivery rooms, two C-section rooms, and two antepartum rooms
- 12 postpartum beds
- 12 emergency department rooms
- Four operating rooms
- Two gastroenterology (GI) suites
Imaging services such as CT, radiology, and MRI will also be available, as well as cardiopulmonary diagnostic testing and infusion therapy. An on-site medical office building and Intermountain InstaCare will provide additional services.
Caregivers who’ve been hired to work at Spanish Fork Hospital will begin to split their time between planning for the new facility and completing other assignments within the system. This team will resume focusing solely on Spanish Fork sometime in October. Future job postings for positions at the new hospital will be delayed until the end of 2020 and early 2021.
More information will be sent out later this year regarding the completion of construction on the facility and the new timeline for hiring caregivers.