Southwest valley hospitals see room for additional growth

Michelle Swafford

Friday, March 4, 2005 | 11:02 a.m.

Less than two years ago, the southwest part of Las Vegas had no nearby hospitals to serve the influx of people moving to the area.

In the past several months, two hospitals located in the southwest part of the valley celebrated one-year anniversaries and committed to additional beds, doctors' offices and services in the coming year.

Universal Health Services Inc.-owned Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center opened Oct. 2, 2003, and HCA Inc. opened Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center March 1, 2004. Catholic Healthcare West is building a hospital a few exits away from those two hospitals off the Las Vegas Beltway. That hospital is scheduled to open in August 2006.

Southern Hills averages 100 patients for its 130 beds, hospital Chief Executive Ken Armstrong said. Armstrong told employees Tuesday that he is resigning effective March 12.

As demand increases, the hospital, at 9300 W. Sunset Road, could add 115 beds that are currently part of the hospital's unfinished space.

Last month, Southern Hills opened its nine-bed level-two nursery for critical babies.

As the demand has increased, so has the number of employees. The hospital employs 600 people, up from 400 when the hospital opened a year ago, Armstrong said. More than 170 are registered nurses.

Earlier this week, the nurses and service and maintenance workers voted in favor of representation by Service Employees International Union Local 1107.

In the last year, Southern Hills also added four obstetricians and several other physicians to its adjacent medical office building. The hospital plans to break ground on a second medical office building this summer.

Southern Hills is considering adding a detox center and program to remove varicose veins, hospital spokeswoman Annette Kinsman said.

Armstrong said he is not concerned about three hospitals in such close proximity because they serve different communities within the Las Vegas Valley.

"There's no doubt southwest Las Vegas will grow. The question is at what rate," Armstrong said.

Spring Valley Chief Executive Karla Perez agrees, saying there has been "incredible growth" in the southwest communities.

Within a five-mile radius of Spring Valley, at 5400 S. Rainbow Blvd., the population has increased by more than 100,000 people in the last year, she said.

"As a result of that, we have to expand as the community does," Perez said.

Spring Valley has opened all 47 of its emergency room beds and added 35 beds to its fourth floor medical-surgical unit. It also opened a six-bed level-two nursery last April.

"It's done extremely well in terms of volume and being able to care for acute babies," Perez said.

Spring Valley recruited six OB/GYNs to its medical office building and 22 primary-care doctors, Perez said, adding that there were not many physicians practicing in the southwest before the hospital opened.

"While it's great to have a hospital in your area, you need a physician to follow up with care," she said.

Physicians are attracted to the southwest part of the Las Vegas Valley because they can practice at three hospitals with three hospital operators.

This summer the hospital plans to break ground on a second medical office building adjacent to the hospital, which would be 60,000 square feet, hospital spokeswoman Naomi Linardo said.

Spring Valley added 600 employees, which is up from 300 employees when the hospital opened in late 2003. About 400 of those employees are registered nurses, Perez said.

The employees that were surveyed by the company said they were highly satisfied with their jobs, which correlates to quality patient care and patient satisfaction, Perez said.

Spring Valley also added new services including complex and noncomplex spinal surgeries, Perez said. The first surgery was conducted Thursday.

Later this year, the hospital will begin interventional cardiac procedures such as angioplasty and stints, Perez said.