Pikes Peak Regional Hospital Opens in Woodland Park, CO

WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO: (October 1, 2007) - Pikes Peak Regional Hospital started as a mere concept in 1999, but after years of in-depth planning, dedicated fundraising, and continuous commitment, the hospital’s doors opened on October 1, 2007.

Bob Harvey, Pikes Peak Regional Hospital Association
President, cuts the ribbon at the hospital's grand opening
ceremony on October 1, 2007.

The 40,000-square-foot facility is located just west of Woodland Park, Colorado, on Highway 24. It is a 15-bed hospital offering a variety of medical and surgical services with space to expand up to 75 beds as needed.

Woodland Park is located in Teller County, which together with the contiguous counties of Douglas, Park, and El Paso, is among the fastest growing areas in the country. The region’s population is nearly 36,000, up nearly 10,000 since 1995. Until now, residents of Teller County traveled to Colorado Springs for nearly all of their medical needs.

"For a region the size of Teller County, we are extremely fortunate to have a hospital with the quality of resources available to everyone," says Debbie Miller, President of The Greater Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce. "The economic impact will be a multi-faceted one: the salaries paid to local residents who live, shop, and raise their families here will have positive results for our tax base; and the ancillary jobs created as a result of the hospital will impact our region as well."

According to Lenore Hotchkiss, broker and owner of Prudential Colorado Real Estate in Woodland Park, the hospital is an asset for new residents moving into the area. "The hospital is drawing a lot of attention to our community, which makes it an attractive area to live."

Hotchkiss says no matter the age – whether it’s older couples who may need medical attention or families with young children – driving down the pass for healthcare is a major concern. "People are moving here because jobs are being created," she states. "We’re seeing both ends of the spectrum which is being positively impacted by the hospital and it’s very exciting."

Pikes Peak Regional Hospital is owned by Pikes Peak Regional Medical Center Association (PPRMCA), and the fundraising entity is Pikes Peak Regional Medical Center Foundation. Brim Healthcare, a national hospital management firm based in Brentwood, Tennessee, is the lease operator, which means Brim has assumed the operational and financial risks associated with running the hospital. Brim is also responsible for employment.

"We are pleased to be a major player in the opening of a community hospital serving the growing population in and around Teller County," Brim President Dave Woodland said. "The Association has worked hard over the years in crafting its vision for providing hospital-based healthcare for the region, and that vision is now a reality."

Under the operating agreement, the Association owns the hospital facilities and a local advisory board helps guide the operating decisions going forward. "Brim will make a monthly payment to the Foundation, which can use those funds for further hospital development and other community needs," Woodland said. "The Foundation serves as the hospital’s landlord and Brim is responsible for the acquisition and payment on all medical equipment, technology, and other operating expenses. Brim is also responsible for the payment of property taxes and other government fees."

Harley Smith, CEO, came on board in April. "This is a wonderful opportunity to provide quality healthcare to Woodland Park and the surrounding communities," Smith said. "Pikes Peak Regional Hospital will not be your typical rural hospital. We’ve added family practice physicians to compliment the current physicians serving the area, as well as specialists to the medical staff."

Smith said during the first year, he plans to add a couple other physicians, and then several others during the hospital’s second year of operation. "As the needs of the community grow," Smith said, "Brim Healthcare will expand the medical staff and increase services to meet those needs."

The focus began and will always remain on the patients at Pikes Peak Regional Hospital. The hospital’s scope of services includes:

Emergency Department with a 24-hour Trauma Unit
Heliport for necessary patient transfer
Medical/Surgical nursing
Surgery (general, orthopedics, gynecology)
Endoscopy (GI)
Laboratory
Pharmacy
Imaging (general diagnostic including Fluoroscopy, CT, MRI, Ultrasound, Mammography, Cardiopulmonary, Physical Therapy)

In addition to a fully-accredited clinical laboratory, the hospital provides diagnostic and treatment services in cardiology, physical therapy, cardiopulmonary medicine, as well as women’s services.

The equipment and facilities are not only new, but state-of-the-art. According to Ron Ebersole, Brim’s Construction Coordinator for the hospital, the Emergency Department is sized larger than one would expect in a 15-bed hospital. "We anticipate this to be one of the most active service areas of the hospital," he said.

The Emergency Department has a total of six treatment rooms including one trauma room capable of handling major trauma. Located at the Ambulance Entry is a negatively pressured decontamination room where patients with radiation or chemical exposure can be treated without contact to the main ER area. "We also have overflow capabilities in the case of a mass casualty," Ebersole added. "We have the ability to utilize the post-anesthesia care unit and the second-stage recovery unit if necessary."

Also located on the campus of the hospital is the Medical Office Building, a two-story structure consisting of two pods with room to expand over the next several years. It is the new home for physician’s offices, Physical Therapy, durable medical equipment, and the Prospect Home Care and Hospice office.

For more information about Pikes Peak Regional Hospital, located at 16420 West Highway 24 in Woodland Park, call 719-687-9470 or online at www.pikespeakregionalhospital.com.