The Maricopa County Special Health Care District Board of Directors today voted unanimously to put the first stake in the ground for the reinvention of safety net health care in Maricopa County. The Board voted to expand MIHS’s healthcare services with the construction of the West Valley Primary & Specialty Care Center in Peoria.

At its monthly meeting, the District Board of Directors approved selection of a construction manager, Okland Construction, to build a new health center that will deliver the highest possible quality care to meet the needs of the rapidly growing West Valley area. Last month, the Board selected Hobbs+Black Architects for design services.

The new facility at Grand Avenue and Cotton Crossing will sit on approximately 20 acres and have approximately 127,000 square feet for a total project cost of roughly $70 million. It will feature an urgent care, dental clinic, dialysis clinic, and a procedural platform that includes 4 operating rooms, 2 major procedure rooms, pre-operative and recovery bays, and onsite sterile processing. The Center also will offer behavioral health services, a retail pharmacy, lab services and a café for patients and visitors.

“Today is the beginning of a new future for MIHS and what we are calling “Care Reimagined” as we reinvent our community’s teaching hospital and safety net system of care,” said Steve Purves, President and. “I have great pride in the work that has been done by our teams over the past few years in becoming such great stewards of our county’s precious resources. This important step allows us to define future possibilities for clinical services and create a supportive environment that can successfully coordinate complex care for all patients who seek services.”

Susan Gerard, Chairman of the Special Health Care District Board, said, “We are pleased to be able to provide residents in the West Valley with the primary and specialty care services they need to stay healthy. The demand for services in the West Valley is high and it’s our mission to ensure members of the community have access to care where they live and work.”

“Increasing access to vital services like primary and specialty care in the West Valley is critical to enhancing the health of our community,” said Elbert “Bick” Bicknell, who represents the area as a member of the Special Health Care District Board. “This new clinic underscores the commitment of the Maricopa County Special Health Care District to serve as the health care safety net for Maricopa County.”

A groundbreaking is planned later this year, with construction expected to be completed by the last quarter of 2019. The first patients are expected to be seen in the first quarter of 2020. 

Funding for these programs comes from Proposition 480, approved overwhelmingly by Maricopa County voters in 2014.