SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 9, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Intermountain Healthcare has revealed additional details of its plans to build a second Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital campus, this one in Lehi.
The new Primary Children’s Hospital campus was announced in January as part of Intermountain Healthcare’s $500 million plan to create a national model for children’s health, said a news release. Plans to create the model inspired a $50 million gift from Utah businesswoman, civic leader, and philanthropist Gail Miller and the Miller family.
The planned 38-acre campus, slated to open in 2023, will be built near 3300 West and 2100 North in Lehi, and will feature five floors, 66 beds, and a three-story medical office building, with a combined 468,000 square feet.
“Pediatric care will be delivered by a medical team integrated with Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City,” the news release said. “Pediatric specialists at University of Utah Health will work together with Primary Children’s to bring the best pediatric care possible to the new campus.”
The new campus will address the rapidly growing pediatric population in Utah County, which some estimates indicate will be equal to that of Salt Lake County by 2040, the news release said.
“With this growth, and the growth in southern Salt Lake County, comes an urgent need for high-quality, comprehensive pediatric care,” the news release said. “As part of its promise to build the nation’s model health system for children, Intermountain will meet this need through innovative programs, initiatives, and facilities — one of which includes the construction of a second Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi.”
Plans for the campus in Lehi include:
- Pediatric specialty trauma and emergency services
- Pediatric and newborn intensive care units
- Medical and surgical unit
- Operating rooms and surgical services
- Inpatient and outpatient behavioral and mental health services
- Safe and Healthy Families clinic
- Sleep medicine services
- Infusion services
- Rehabilitation services
- Specialty outpatient clinics
- Laboratory services
- Imaging services
Additional amenities will include food services, a gift shop and a family friendly environment. Crews are expected to begin construction on the hospital later this year.
Among announcements made, veteran Intermountain leader Lisa Paletta, RN, was introduced as administrator of the Primary Children’s Lehi campus.
Paletta, who is serving as administrator of Intermountain Alta View Hospital in Sandy, also has worked as former assistant vice president of Integrated Care Management for Intermountain and has been with the organization for more than 26 years. She will oversee the new hospital campus design and construction, and lead the hiring of an administrative team and caregivers.
Paletta led Alta View Hospital during its recent reconstruction and played a key role in the development, design and construction of Utah Valley Hospital’s new outpatient building and patient tower in her work as chief nursing officer there.
“Our children are our community’s most valuable asset,” Paletta said. “Primary Children’s has a rich history of putting ‘The Child First and Always,’ and I’m excited to be a part of that legacy in Utah County. We’re deeply committed to bringing high-quality pediatric care to this growing area, and I look forward to working in this community that I call home.”
“Lisa is a strategic thinker and skilled operator who has helped her leadership and caregiver teams consistently deliver — and improve upon — outstanding patient care, experiences, and clinical quality,” said Katy Welkie, RN, MBA, CEO of Primary Children’s Hospital and vice president of Intermountain’s children’s health.
“She is the perfect choice to lead the construction process, campus opening, and outstanding clinical care that will be provided at the new Primary Children’s Hospital campus in Lehi, and bring care closer to home.”
