By Amy Roberts
It’s already a stunning building — having won awards for its breathtaking architectural design. But Park City Medical Center will soon look decidedly different. Yes, it will still have the jaw-dropping mountain views from patient rooms, floor-to-ceiling windows that usher in the surrounding nature and cozy fireplaces in the lobbies. But come next fall, the hospital will feature an additional 82,000 square-feet, largely dedicated to wellness, community education and new physicians.
The new building, which will be located on the hospital’s north side, will be LEED-certified, honoring Park City Medical Center’s commitment to the environment. It will house medical office space, an expanded LiVe Well Center, and a community education center with seating for up to 500
people. The education center will be used for health promotion, engaging the community in discussions about lifestyle and exercise medicine, prevention and wellness research, nutrition and other important health-related topics.
As part of this massive expansion project, the hospital is also adding two more operating rooms and an endoscopy suite, expanding the physical therapy department, and recruiting a number of new physicians.
“We appreciate the trust and confidence that the community has placed in Park City Medical Center and that more and more people are choosing to stay on the Wasatch Back and even coming up from the valley for their healthcare,” noted hospital administrator, Si Hutt. “We will continue to add services and facilities to meet growing patient demand and provide extraordinary care and service to our patients,” he explained.
The newly-expanded LiVe Well Center will continue to be a place for those looking to achieve the healthiest life possible. From those suffering from chronic conditions related to lifestyle to elite athletes, the LiVe Well Center staff can help individuals achieve their personal version of wellness.
“We really do work with the whole spectrum — from diabetics to Olympic athletes,” noted Dee Hill-May, the LiVe Well Center director. “We meet people wherever they are health-wise, and help them get on a path to make better lifestyle choices. We look at the whole person and assess their blood work, nutrition, exercise habits, sleep patterns, stress levels, flexibility and more. This evaluation encompasses all the components of wellness. Then, we work with each patient individually to help get them on a path to better health.”
Hill-Mey further explained the hospital is committed to wellness, because it’s the right thing to do for the community. “That’s why a large portion of this expansion project is dedicated to increasing the size of the LiVe Well Center.”
The additional space will also house dedicated space for sports medicine, where renowned physician Max Testa will see patients.
“At the LiVe Well Center we believe that every athlete should be given the opportunity to reach their full potential. Dr. Testa and our exercise physiologists treat chronic injuries and pain that is specific to your sport
or activity. They also provide evidence based, state-of-the-art, performance testing and training recommendations to help you reach your goals,” added Hill-Mey.
While this project is exciting, it isn’t the first time the hospital has expanded. Despite being just six years old, the hospital has been close to capacity a number of times, and as such, added an additional eight patient rooms last fall, bringing the total number of licensed beds to 38. Two years ago, an ICU was added, allowing the hospital to care for more acute patients closer to home.
But before this project is even completed, Park City Medical Center is already looking toward the future.
“In the next three to five years, we will likely need to expand again,” says administrator Hutt. “As the community continues to grow and more and more people turn to us for their healthcare needs, we expect to need additional operating rooms and a larger emergency department.”
This latest expansion project is expected to be completed in December of 2016 and will cost an estimated $40 million.
