About Us
Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Relocation FAQ
Why is the hospital moving?
Ours is the smallest hospital in the region serving the fastest growing population in Washington State. Simply stated, the growing demand for local healthcare and new technology will soon exceed the physical and staffing capacity of the current facility. Building code and environmental restrictions make expansion in place prohibitively expensive. The new location is easily accessible from I-90, SR-18 and other major roads. This is important because emergency and first responders along with patients and their families report the current hospital location is secluded and hard to find. This is due in part because the closest interstate exit doesn’t have on-and-off ramps in all directions.
Will the new hospital be bigger?
Yes. At about 65,000 square feet, the new facility will almost triple the size of the current hospital. It will allow for a significant expansion in the number and types of out-patient services while retaining the same number of licensed hospital beds at 28. The new campus is approximately 7.5 acres and will include a medical office building and room for future expansion.
What services will the new hospital provide?
The new hospital will expand existing services and add new ones. This includes a larger emergency room with improved trauma capability, women’s health services, senior health services, rehab services, general surgery, a larger gastroenterology service, improved pediatric care, imaging and diagnostic services as well as other new programs.
What will the new hospital cost?
Total costs for the land, new hospital facility and equipment is estimated at between $45 to $50 million.
How will it be paid for?
Funding is planned from a combination of the $30 million sale of the existing hospital campus supplemented by the issuance of IRS 63-20 and other bonds. The project is planned without the need for additional taxes.
Will doctors in the area move out of the neighborhoods and onto this new campus? Specialists will mostly be located on the new campus but primary care doctors (including pediatricians) and their support staff will remain in the community where they are now.
What is the timeline for construction?
Construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2009 with completion in 2011.
Will the hospital stay open during construction?
Yes, the hospital will continue to operate at its current location until the new hospital is ready to open.