Lights go on at PVH’s new units

Hospital’s expansion includes new emergency department, orthopedics unit and lab
By:
Feb. 26, 2017
view of hospital's new emergency department from across the street
UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital opened the doors to its expansion on Sunday. The new facility, which has been years in the making, is situated at the southeast corner of the intersection of Lemay Avenue and Doctor’s Lane in Fort Collins. It includes an expanded emergency department, clinical laboratory, orthopedics unit, retail pharmacy and rooftop helipad. Photo by Kelly Tracer, UCHealth.
technician sets a patient bed in a dark and empty ER.
Emergency services technician Karen Vaughn locks a patient bed into place in an exam room at UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital’s new emergency department early Sunday morning. The new department can accommodate up to 64 beds compared to 28 in the previous emergency department. Photo by Kelly Tracer, UCHealth.

UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital officially opened the doors of its three-story, 185,000-square-foot expansion the morning of Feb. 26, 2017, including an emergency department that is more than three times the size of the hospital’s former emergency space.

The new facility also features a clinical laboratory, an orthopedics unit, a retail pharmacy, a rooftop helipad and additional parking.

Much of the space on the first floor of the expansion is dedicated to the new emergency department, which can accommodate up to 64 beds compared to 28 in the former department. The former space was built to treat 25,000 patients per year, but in 2016, approximately 53,000 patients were cared for there. The new space anticipates future growth of the community and can care for up to 100,000 patients annually.

The new emergency entrance for patients is located on Doctor’s Lane, just east of Lemay Avenue. Those who are bringing a patient to the new emergency department can use the pull-through dropoff lane in front of the patient entrance on Doctor’s Lane. Emergency patients and their visitors can park in the new parking lot just north of the new emergency entrance on Doctor’s Lane.

side of the new emergency department says emergency
The new patient entrance to UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital’s emergency department is located on Doctor’s Lane, just east of Lemay Avenue. The department opened its doors at 5 a.m. Sunday. Photo by Kelly Tracer, UCHealth.

On the lower level of the new facility is a state-of-the-art clinical laboratory, which was designed to be more efficient and able to handle higher volumes through automated lines for both the microbiology and chemistry areas. It features equipment that will bring expanded services to northern Colorado.

On the second level, the new orthopedic unit has large rooms with natural light and a rehabilitation gym that gives patients an area to improve their mobility and health without the feel of being in a hospital.

Staff throughout the hospital will be ready to help any patient or visitor who has questions about the expansion or needs help getting to where they need to go.

exam room seen from the doorwayWhat the public should know:

New ER entrance: The new emergency entrance for patients is located on Doctor’s Lane, just east of Lemay Avenue. Signs will direct emergency patients to the correct entrance.

Where to park: Emergency patients and their visitors can park in the new parking lot just north of the new emergency entrance off of Doctor’s Lane. The Stork Parking – which provides special parking spaces reserved for expectant mothers – is available in the new parking lot as well.

Pharmacy: The retail pharmacy that was located next to the gift shop near the main entrance to the hospital is now located next to the new emergency department. It will continue to be open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. seven days a week.

Need help? Staff throughout the hospital will be ready to help any patient or visitor who has questions about the expansion or needs help getting to where they need to go.

Emergency care Orthopedics Pharmacy