On behalf of Marana Town Council and staff, Vice Mayor Jon Post welcomed the new Northwest Emergency Center to the community on February 9. The new facility is located at Twin Peaks and I-10 at the Marana Center.
The project brings jobs and services to Town residents. The facility costs an estimated $8.5 million and will bring more than 30 new medical jobs to Marana while providing 24/7 medical services to residents in the area including quick access from Dove Mountain and Gladden Farms.
“Healthcare is evolving and we’re excited to have a Free Standing Emergency Department (FESD) that will deliver full emergency care in Marana,” said Marana Director of Economic Development & Tourism Curt Woody. “In addition to a much needed amenity, the facility will employ 30 well paying positions that will add to our Town’s strategy of diversifying our employment sector.”
The facility is a somewhat unique concept in the area, though the model is quickly gaining popularity across the country. It is essentially an emergency room/emergency department without a larger hospital on-site. While it lacks inpatient beds and is not equipped for major surgery, it does have an ambulance bay, triage, radiology, and lab. A board-certified emergency physician is always on-site.
Like any hospital emergency department, the new NEC Marana will be equipped to treat patients with illnesses and injuries that require a higher level of care than urgent care facilities offer. Many emergency services can be effectively managed at an FSED without the need for transfer to a traditional hospital setting. If a higher level of care is required, a patient can be transported quickly to nearby Northwest Medical Center, Oro Valley Hospital, or the facility of their choice.
Board-certified emergency physicians, registered nurses and other patient care professionals will staff the center, and 30 employees also will be hired to serve patients at the new center, including registered nurses and lab, imaging, admitting and environmental services staff.
It is the second such facility in Southern Arizona for Northwest Healthcare. The first opened in Vail in late 2015. The same company also owns Northwest Medical Center, Oro Valley Hospital and five urgent care centers, in addition to primary care clinics and its freestanding ERs.
Northwest Healthcare has been serving the Marana area in various capacities for years and is looking at other ways to expand in the Town. The company owns 62 acres in the community that they currently have earmarked for a future hospital.
