Summer heat isn’t slowing progress on expansion of the neonatal unit for preterm babies at Abrazo Arrowhead Campus. Construction workers are keeping cool with the help of big fans and plenty of cold water as new hospital rooms are taking shape.

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A walk through the new addition shows framing for patient rooms and other areas in place, with insulation and drywall installation in progress. Tradesmen are connecting plumbing for water, oxygen, medical gases and HVAC, as well as completing other phases of work.

“It’s very exciting to see the project coming together. The interior framing and drywall are really starting to give a feel of the new neonatal rooms, and we can now see where the new unit will connect to the existing neonatal department,” said Abrazo Arrowhead Campus CEO Stephen Garner.

Abrazo Arrowhead Campus is a popular destination for maternity care, including higher risk pregnancies. More than 3,500 babies, including high order multiple births like triplets, are born every year at Abrazo Arrowhead.

The 8,500 square foot expansion will add new rooms and perinatal care areas to the hospital’s second floor to increase the department’s size from 21 to 35 beds. The $14 million project is expected to be complete late this year. 

Abrazo Arrowhead Campus is already a Level IIIA perinatal care center, capable of caring for premature babies as young as 28 weeks. Expansion will support pursuit of certification as a higher Level IIIB Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for more complex maternal and neonatal medical conditions, obstetric and fetal complications explained Abrazo Arrowhead Campus Chief Nursing Officer Julie Bowman, MSN, BSN, RN.

Demographics of the growing Northwest Valley indicate that need exceeds capacity for higher-level neonatal care, noted Bowman.

“Successful pursuit of the Level IIIB NICU certification means the hospital will be capable of providing complex care for babies of any gestational age as well as care for higher-risk expectant mothers. We expect to be busy right away when the expanded neonatal unit opens,” she said.

“Abrazo Arrowhead Campus is growing with our community. We are investing in our neonatal capabilities as well as strengthening the hospital’s other services for higher-acuity patients. This is shaping up to be a stellar year for Abrazo Arrowhead as we complete service and facility upgrades to provide specialty care closer to home for Northwest Valley residents,” said Garner.

For more information about Abrazo Arrowhead Campus, visit AbrazoHealth.com.