City officials and Abrazo Health leaders held a ribbon cutting ceremony to dedicate the new Abrazo Surprise Hospital, the first hospital in the city of Surprise, which will open Monday, Oct. 12 at 7 a.m.

Abrazo Surprise Hospital will provide medical care beyond what’s available at an urgent care or freestanding emergency center. Located at the southwest corner of Loop 303 and West Bell Road, the hospital includes a 13-bed emergency department, an operating room and eight inpatient rooms for those needing observation or overnight stays.

The diversity of the Surprise community means the hospital is prepared to serve patients of all ages. Surprise Mayor Skip Hall applauded Abrazo’s investment in the community, noting the city’s rapid growth and need for nearby hospital services for city residents.

“Surprise is one of the fastest growing communities in the United States. The new hospital’s location at Loop 303 and Bell Road will be easily accessible for our residents,” said Hall.

Abrazo Surprise Hospital EMS Coordinator Phil Johnson shows the pre-op area to guests during a preview of the new hospital.

Hospital CEO Stephen Garner noted that Abrazo Surprise Hospital is a new kind of hospital, with an ER, operating room and inpatient rooms for short stay patients, designed with an emphasis on patient safety, convenience and efficiency.

“We believe Abrazo Surprise Hospital is meeting a community need as demand for quality healthcare, like the City of Surprise, continues to grow. Our goal is the shortest possible ER wait times, but what really sets this facility apart is its surgical capability,” said Garner.

At approximately 32,000 square feet, Abrazo Surprise Hospital is smaller in scale than a typical general hospital, but still includes surgical services, a full emergency department, inpatient rooms, ultrasound, x-ray and CT scan, laboratory, pharmacy and other services.

“Our general surgery capability means if you come to the ER with gall bladder symptoms or appendicitis, for example, you won’t need to be transferred elsewhere. We will have 24/7 emergency and general surgery coverage,” explained Administrative Director Chrissy Salazar, RN.

The ability to treat many conditions at Abrazo Surprise Hospital minimizes the need for transfers to a larger facility, added Dr. Brian Hess.

“As an Emergency Medicine physician, it is an honor to be involved with this new hospital. The City of Surprise and its residents will surely benefit from having medical care nearby,” said Dr. Hess. “Whether it’s fractures, lacerations or illness, what sets our hospital apart is the capability of extending care beyond the ER to the operating room for things like gall bladder surgery, or admitting patients to our inpatient unit for lower acuity medical conditions. It’s about providing the right care in the right place.”

Abrazo Surprise Hospital is located at 16815 W. Bell Rd. in Surprise, Ariz.