Final Beam Placed on Second Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi; Milestone Brings Pediatric Health Services One Step Closer to Home in Fast-Growing Utah County

Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital today celebrated the “topping off” of its second hospital location in Lehi, marking a milestone in the facility’s ongoing construction and a step forward in bringing much-needed pediatric services to the rapidly growing area.

The project’s final steel beam was lifted by crane and placed atop the structural framework of the new hospital as a small gathering of dignitaries cheered. The beam was decorated with signatures and hopeful messages by patients, welcoming neighbors, caregivers, donors, and community and hospital leaders. 

“I’m thrilled to celebrate this exciting milestone in our work to expand Primary Children’s specialty care in Utah County, home to one of the nation’s fastest growing pediatric populations,” said Lisa Paletta, RN, administrator of Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi. 

“Nearly one-third of Primary’s patients come from Utah County and South Salt Lake County,” Paletta said. “Building Primary Children’s Hospital on the Larry H. and Gail Miller Family Campus here in Lehi will provide the right care, at the right time, in the right place for many families.” 

The final beam completes the framework of Primary Children’s Hospital on the Larry H. and Gail Miller Family Campus, located at 2250 N. Miller Campus Drive in Lehi. The namesake honors the Miller family’s support and vision for children’s health and wellness in the Intermountain West. 

Primary Children’s Hospital on the Larry H. and Gail Miller Family Campus is part of Intermountain Healthcare’s promise to create the nation’s model health system for children. This multi-faceted plan and historic investment of at least $500 million in children’s health will be shared by Intermountain Healthcare and community philanthropic support through an emerging campaign organized by Intermountain Foundation. 

Plans for the model health system were announced in January 2020, inspiring a transformational $50 million gift from Utah businesswoman, civic leader, and philanthropist Gail Miller and the Miller family. 

The new campus will address the rapidly growing pediatric population in Utah County, one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, which some estimates indicate will be equal to that of Salt Lake County by 2040. It will help many families avoid traveling long distances to access high-quality specialty pediatric care. 

“The completion of the steel structure is another step toward realizing Intermountain’s sweeping initiative to build a model health system for children to innovatively address the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of current and future generations of children,” said Steve Lund, co-founder and executive board chair of Nu Skin Enterprises. “It’s an honor to be a part of this historic day, and a privilege for me to join with other visionary community members who recognize this effort as one of the most worthwhile projects in our state's history and for our children's future.”

Lund serves as a tri-chair for the Primary Promise campaign to build the model health system for children, along with two other civic and community business leaders: Gail Miller, owner and board chair of Larry H. Miller Group of Companies and chair of the Intermountain Healthcare Board of Trustees; and Crystal Maggelet, chair and CEO of FJ Management Inc. and Intermountain Healthcare trustee.  

“We are entering a new era in pediatric health that will shape the next century of care for children served by Intermountain and Primary Children’s Hospital,” Lund said. “Generous gifts from the community are helping us achieve our vision to build the nation’s model health system for children without delay.”

The new campus will include a full-service children’s hospital providing the same high-caliber specialty pediatric services that patients will receive at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, with the exception of transplant and heart surgery. 

Estimated at $335 million, the new hospital campus will feature a five-story, 66-bed hospital and a three-story medical office building totaling 486,000 square feet. Construction began in August 2020. The hospital is expected to open in early 2024.

The building is specially designed for children, and will include: 

• Pediatric specialty trauma and emergency services
• Pediatric intensive care unit
• Surgical newborn intensive care unit
• Medical/surgical unit
• Surgical services
• Inpatient and outpatient behavioral and mental health services
• Center for Safe and Healthy Families 
• Sleep medicine 
• Infusion 
• Rehabilitation 
• More than 140 patient care rooms in specialty outpatient clinics
• Laboratory
• Child life and expressive therapies services
• Imaging 
• Pharmacy 

Additional campus amenities will include food services, a gift shop, and a family-friendly environment. 

The new campus will feature pediatric care integrated with Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City.  The hospital’s physicians and advanced practice providers include pediatric specialists from University of Utah Health, Intermountain Medical Group, and affiliates, who will work collaboratively with community providers and Primary Children’s caregivers to provide the highest quality care to pediatric patients.  

The topping off ceremony can be viewed beginning June 23 at the Primary Children’s Hospital YouTube channel.

More information and updates about the project are available at PrimaryChildrens.org/LehiConstruction.