Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s New ED, Trauma Center to Meet Anticipated Demand of Pediatric Population

Construction was recently completed for Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s new emergency department and Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center, which is the only American College of Surgeons-verified Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center in Arizona and one of a few in the United States.

The new center has the capacity to accommodate 100,000 patients each year.

The original ED was designed to treat 22,000 annually, but more than 83,000 patients were treated at the facility last year alone, making it one of the busiest centers in the country. The design allows for future expansion and, with Arizona’s pediatric population expected to grow to 1.5 million by 2030, the new space is anticipated to meet the demand of Arizona’s children now and in the future.

Designed by Hobbs + Black Architects, the center is located directly below the helipad, decreasing the distance to transfer a patient to a trauma bay to 215 feet in less than 90 seconds (the prior time was almost five minutes). Kitchell was able to build parts of the center at its new Kapture Group prefabrication facility in Tempe, Arizona, including exterior wall panels and 58 patient headwalls complete with framing and ready for medical gas and electrical ports.

During construction, the project was recognized with the Voluntary Protection Program star status. VPP is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s highest program of recognition across the United States, for sites that demonstrate exemplary and comprehensive safety and health management systems to achieve illness and injury rates that are more than 50 percent below the national average.

At its peak, the project required 220 man hours of construction. Project facts include:

• 32 million pounds of steel, 5,000 cubic yards of concrete delivered in 625 concrete trucks, and 350,000 pounds of rebar. It also contains 568 miles of network cable.
• Square footage has increased to 42,302 from 18,600.
• Number of private exam rooms has more than tripled, to 75 rooms from 23.
• Separate ambulance entrance and vestibule provide immediate access to trauma suites and all examination areas.
• Trauma center offers nine trauma bays – up from four -to treat multiple trauma patients at the same time.
• Safe rooms are available for behavioral health patients who pose a danger to themselves and others.
• Immediate separation and triage of emergent and fast-track patients are expected to reduce time spent in the waiting room and ED.