Valencia County hospital project on track for summer finish; operator outlines services and staffing plans
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Summary
Contractor and prospective operator gave commissioners a construction and operations update: building enclosure and exterior work are nearly complete with construction projected to finish in July and equipment installation into August; the planned 11-bed hospital will include a full ER, two ORs, endoscopy suites, a helipad and roughly 100 staff, with payer contracting still under negotiation.
Contractor and hospital leadership told the Valencia County Board of County Commissioners that construction of the new county hospital is progressing and the operation team is preparing for staffing and payer arrangements.
Tyler Nunn, senior project manager with Bradbury Sam Construction, said the building is fully enclosed, exterior finishes and parking work are underway and two of three public entrances will begin construction next week. He told commissioners the team projects construction completion in July, with specialized equipment installation into August, after which the operator will begin commissioning and operational preparations. “We are looking at projected finish of construction in July with, equipment installations, specialized equipment installations going into August,” Nunn said.
Cliff Wilson, president of Lovelace Health System, introduced his organization’s role as the health-system partner and said Lovelace is “thrilled to be part of this project and look forward to expanding access to care for the residents of Valencia County.” Tammy Chavis Hewlett, the hospital’s incoming CEO, outlined planned services and staffing: an 11-bed inpatient unit, a full-service emergency room that includes behavioral-health and trauma-stabilization capability, two operating rooms, two endoscopy suites, a helipad and laboratory and radiology services. Hewlett said the hospital will implement the EPIC electronic health-record system and is negotiating contracts for specialty services, anesthesia, radiology and ER coverage.
Hewlett described an expected staff of roughly 100 people at opening and said workforce partnerships with UNM and local job fairs are being planned. On payer participation, she said the plan is to start with Medicare and Medicaid and then pursue commercial insurers: “it will be my intention to start with Medicare and Medicaid and then try to get all of the services, Blue Cross, Presbyterian… I would want to contract with all of the companies that allow us to, especially the ones who have employees here in Valencia County,” Hewlett said.
Commissioners asked about schedule risks and budgets. Nunn said the project—delivered as a design-build contract—has moved into coordination of systems between the operator and design teams and that there have been no material budget overruns to date. He said allowances were adjusted when the site and final design were selected, but the budget is holding. “As far as delays or issues, there haven't been any and we don't foreseeing,” Nunn said.
The presentation included a staffing and operations timeline; the county will move into operational planning with the operator after equipment installation. Commissioners did not take any formal action on the presentation; subsequent agenda items continued with votes on unrelated ordinances and budget matters.