Intermountain Garfield Memorial Hospital in Utah, US, has commenced construction work for its expansion project, marking its first significant growth initiative in decades.
The project involves the development of a new operating room and the enhancement of the hospital’s pharmacy services.
It aims to address the need for proper ventilation systems for anaesthesia gases, which the older operating room lacked.
VCBO Architecture and Hughes Construction are leading the expansion project, with completion expected in early 2026.
The project has been made possible through the support of Garfield County and a land exchange with Hatch Ranching Company, owned by the James L Hatch family.
Intermountain Garfield Memorial Hospital president DeAnn Brown said: “We are excited for this new expansion, as our community would typically have to travel many miles away to have certain procedures like a tonsillectomy.
“Now they get to stay close to home, near their families, making their care more convenient and comfortable.”
The expansion will not only provide new ventilation in the operating room but also enable the hospital to perform elective surgical procedures such as laparoscopic cholecystectomies, hernia repairs, and tonsillectomies, among others.
In addition, the effort will deliver an extra operating room that will double as a gastroenterology suite while continuing to offer screening colonoscopies and EGDs, alongside some of the regular surgical cases.
The project also involves remodelling the central processing area, the post-anaesthesia care unit, and the pharmacy.
The upgraded pharmacy will be equipped with a new ventilation system, facilitating the sterile mixing of IV medications.
Intermountain Garfield Memorial Hospital, co-owned by Garfield County and operated by Intermountain Health, provides 20 beds, clinical services, and a long-term care facility with 24 beds.
Serving approximately 5,300 residents, Intermountain Garfield Memorial Hospital is the sole healthcare provider in the county.
Garfield County Commission chair Leland Pollock said: “In a town of 1,900 people, to have a hospital that competes with big city hospitals, and the care we give, it is unheard of in the US. Our performance ratings, patient scores, and quality of care are always near the top.”
