Steward Health Care, the nation’s largest private, physician-owned healthcare network, announced it has finalized a deal to build a new state-of-the-art hospital serving St. George, Utah, one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States. Steward, which currently operates 35 hospitals serving millions of patients across the US, including five facilities in Northern Utah along the Wasatch Front, plans to break ground this July. Steward is investing in construction of the facility, which plans to begin serving patients in October 2023.
“Steward Health Care believes St. George is one of the most exciting communities in the country – poised for exponential growth – and we are more than ready to grow with it,” says Dr. Ralph de la Torre, Chairman, and CEO of Steward Health Care Systems LLC. “By expanding our footprint in Utah, we’ll bring our vision for high-quality, affordable, community health care to more patients. Our pioneering model will continue to focus on delivering the very best in care to ensure patients are spending less time in the hospital and more time pursuing their healthy, active lives in the St. George community.”
Over the past ten years, St. George has seen its population grow by nearly 19 percent. And while the population in the region is expected to more than double by 2060, the region is currently underserved medically, with only one acute care facility available to patients. The new hospital will be located in the City of Washington, a connecting city to St. George and a major center of Washington County, with about 250,000 residents living within a one-hour drive. Steward’s new hospital is set to anchor the Zion Medical Village, a planned community uniquely positioned to provide healthcare to the growing region.
“St. George is set to see a roaring demand for new health care services in the years ahead,” Brian Dunn, Steward’s West Region President, says. “Steward will work closely with our community partners in Southern Utah to meet this need and unlock access to affordable, economically sustainable care and wellness.”
The hospital will offer a full range of care including orthopedics, cardiovascular care, neurosurgery, and other outpatient services, with additional compatible medical facilities set to open on the same campus. Steward’s investments in new patient care options will provide choice in a fast-developing area, as more than 900 planned single-family housing units are currently under development nearby.
In the weeks ahead, Steward will announce plans for an outdoor groundbreaking event, bringing together elected officials and members of the St. George community to celebrate this new chapter.