By Richard Smith
From left, Progressive Care Unit Director Mary Smith, Banner Del E. Webb Chief Executive Officer Debbie Flores and Sun Health President and Chief Executive Officer Ronald Guziak prepare to cut the ribbon to celebrate the completion of the new progressive care unit at Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center, 14502 W. Meeker Blvd., Sun City West.
By Caitlin Wendt
Special to Independent Newsmedia
Officials celebrated the completion on July 20 of a new $10.9 million progressive care unit at Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center, 14502 W. Meeker Blvd., Sun City West. The new unit will open to patients Tuesday, Aug. 1.
The hospital converted a 22,952-square-foot shelled space on the fifth floor of the “D” tower into a new unit to treat patients with a variety of conditions, including congestive heart failure, renal disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes.
Physicians typically send patients to a progressive care unit who have a history of heart problems and require close heart monitoring during their stay. The unit also serves as a stepping stone for patients well enough to leave the intensive care unit, but who require a higher level of monitoring than what is provided in the hospital’s medical-surgical units.
The new 28-bed all-private- room unit not only increases the bed count for the facility to 394, but enhances the 30-year-old hospital’s capabilities. In the unit, there is a large central telemetry monitoring room that will service the entire hospital, as well as Wickenburg Community Hospital.
The room houses technicians who continually monitor vital signs and heart rhythms of patients via a bank of monitors and other specialized equipment. Other features of the unit include a familywaiting area, a conference room and a private consult room for clinicians to meet with families.
Banner Health and Sun Health Foundation committed $5.9 million to the $10.9 million expansion and the foundation continues to work with community donors to raise the remaining $5 million. Sun Health Foundation is the philanthropic partner of Banner Del E Webb Medical Center, Banner Boswell Medical Center and the Banner Sun Health Research Institute.
Visit www.BannerHealth.com/Webb.
Editor’s Note: Caitlin Wendt is a public relations specialist for Banner Health.
