Abrazo Mesa Hospital, the first facility built in the East Valley by Abrazo Health, celebrated its first anniversary on Oct. 1. Abrazo Mesa is the first of three “microhospitals” being developed across the Valley by Abrazo Health.

Abrazo Mesa Hospital opened its doors at 6 am on Oct. 1, 2019. It marked a game-changing concept for bringing convenient, efficient emergency, short stay inpatient and surgical services to suburban neighborhoods.

“The hospital is situated between developments with large populations of young families as well as communities with a large number of senior citizens.  We see a wide variety of patients, from pediatric to elderly, with a broad array of medical needs,” explained Gilbert resident Christy Matlock, RN, administrative director at Abrazo Mesa Hospital.

Located at 5750 E. Baseline Rd., Abrazo Mesa Hospital has eight inpatient rooms and offers 24-hour emergency care as well as the ability to perform surgical procedures with around-the-clock emergency physician and general surgery coverage.

Nurses Marie Kelly of Gilbert, Laura Bivins of San Tan Valley and Christy Matlock of Gilbert in the Emergency Department of Abrazo Mesa Hospital, which marked its first year of operation on Oct. 1.

Abrazo Health operates six hospitals, multiple physician practices and other services throughout the greater Phoenix area. Additional microhospitals will open in Surprise this year and in Cave Creek in 2021.

Microhospitals are smaller in scale than a typical general hospital, but offer surgical services, a full emergency department, inpatient rooms, ultrasound, x-ray and CT scan, laboratory, pharmacy and other services, said Matlock. Types of surgeries performed at Abrazo Mesa include minimally invasive appendectomies and gall bladder procedures, for example.

“We have worked hard to create a patient-friendly, efficient setting,” said Matlock. “Providing a safe environment and quality medical care are among our top priorities, and we want our ER waiting times to be among the shortest they can possibly be.”

Matlock added that Abrazo Mesa Hospital has developed strong relationships with local EMS providers and believes they are an extension of the hospital’s team. “We are proud to serve the community side-by-side with our EMS crews,” she said.

“Patients with abdominal pain, sprains and broken bones, cardiac arrhythmias, seizures, minor trauma, lacerations, abdominal issues, pneumonia and flu are typical of the types of patients treated in the Abrazo Mesa Hospital emergency department,” noted Dr. Chris Lipinski, an emergency medicine physician at Abrazo Mesa. “We also have the capability of extending care beyond the ER to the observation or inpatient environment for lower acuity, uncomplicated medical conditions. This minimizes the need for transfers to larger “comprehensive” medical facilities.  It’s about ‘the best care in the right place’ for us.”

Abrazo Mesa Hospital created approximately new 50 full-time equivalent clinical and support staff jobs.

Approximately 80 percent of the staff are East Valley residents.

“The coronavirus pandemic certainly threw us a curveball shortly after we opened, but we continued to operate and provide care for our community,” said Matlock. “I am especially proud of our staff and physicians who persevered to serve our patients during their time of greatest need.”

“Despite the pandemic, patients still need care. We want to help patients feel safe and comfortable getting care during this uncertain time.  As healthcare professionals, we have worked very diligently to stay current with the medical research and best practice standards regarding COVID-19. We also appreciate the importance of caring for other medical and surgical conditions in an environment where infection control is crucial for all of us. Abrazo continues to emphasize proactive patient safety with enhanced cleaning and hand sanitization stations, as well as screening and masking for all who enter the building,” added Dr. Lipinski.

“Delays in care could lead to significant complications in many types of conditions. Physicians are already seeing patients with potentially life-threatening conditions who waited to go to the ER. Your health can’t wait,” he said.

Abrazo Mesa Hospital at a glance:

• 13 ER exam rooms

• 1 operating room

• 3 bed post-anesthesia care unit

• 8 inpatient beds

• Imaging suite with x-ray, ultrasound and CT

• 32,500 square foot building

• Address: 5750 E. Baseline Rd., Mesa, Ariz. 85206