The new St. Anthony Medical Campus near West Sixth Avenue and Union Boulevard in Lakewood will soon open some of its doors.
A building that will house Ortho- Colorado is near completion and will serve as a dedicated orthopedic hospital on the campus at 11600 W. 2nd Place.
The second phase of construction, which will supplant St. Anthony Central on West Colfax Avenue, will include neurosciences, cardiovascular, women’s and emergency services.
“It’s a pretty big deal for the fourth-largest city in the state of Colorado to finally have a hospital,” said Lakewood Mayor Bob Murphy.
According to OrthoColorado chief executive Jude Torchia, employees will move into the 88,000-square- foot, $60 million facility by June 1.
“On Day One we may have 10 patients, but when we’re fully operating we hope to have as many patients as we have beds,” Torchia said. “As business increases and census goes up, we will add staff. Ultimately, we will have about 200 employees.”
Panorama Orthopedics & Spine Center is a founding partner with St. Anthony of OrthoColorado. Panorama has centers in Golden, Littleton and Westminster.
The city of Lakewood plans to welcome the first round of OrthoColorado employees with special gift bags from merchants in the area at a May 20 ribbon-cutting.
Lakewood economic-development specialist Rachel Griffin said although OrthoColorado represents a fraction of the total employees who will eventually work at the campus when it opens in 2011, the city wants them to know what’s available along the Union Boulevard corridor.
Murphy expressed enthusiasm for the future economic activity the hospital will bring to the city.
“This will be such a catalyst with more than 2,000 jobs coming to Lakewood. These are people who will be working, shopping and potentially moving to Lakewood,” he said.
Torchia said Lakewood has been welcoming. He said what’s unique about the St. Anthony site is that OrthoColorado will exist as a dedicated orthopedic hospital rather than a unit within a hospital.
“Studies have shown, in some instances, specialty hospitals provide a higher quality of care at a lower cost, so that’s what we are trying to achieve,” Torchia said.
While the existing Panorama facilities are outpatient-surgery centers, the new hospital will offer in-patient care with 48 private rooms.
Karen Groves: 303-954-2303 or grovesk@yourhub.com
