With shovels, hardhats and smiles, local and regional leaders recently joined a groundbreaking ceremony to launch construction of a Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Group (YRMG) family and specialty medicine clinic.
The 10,000-square-foot facility is scheduled for completion in mid-2023. Located on the corner of Highway 69 and North Lee Boulevard in Prescott, the clinic will be constructed on land previously owned by Prescott-area entrepreneur and philanthropist Jim Lee, who joined the groundbreaking festivities.
Before the first ceremonial scoops of soil, John Amos, President and CEO, Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC), welcomed guests and emphasized the collaborative spirit surrounding the development of the new YRMG clinic.
“The Dignity Health-CommonSpirit Health family includes many different communities with many different needs,” he said. “What we all share, however, is a common mission to care for our communities and our patients. That is what today represents.”
YRMC affiliated with Dignity Health, which is part of CommonSpirit Health, in 2019. The national network is comprised of 1,000 care sites in 21 states.
YRMG’s provider clinics are part of Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Center, which includes two acute care hospitals – one in Prescott and one in Prescott Valley – and a comprehensive network of outpatient services.
Joining the groundbreaking were (left to right): John Amos, Dignity Health, YRMC; Doug Updike, ARCHSOL; Steve Sischka, Prescott City Council and Dignity Health, YRMC, Board of Trustees; Nick Veldman, Venn Construction; Jim Lee, Lee Ltd.; Anthony Torres, MD, Dignity Health, YRMC; Kat Rondeau, Dignity Health, Southwest Division; Kalie Valencia, Dignity Health, Southwest Division; and Mike Beatty, Dignity Health, YRMC, Board of Trustees.
Patient-Centered Care & Design
Groundbreaking participants emphasized that every decision regarding the new clinic – from its location to its layout – focuses on the needs of patients.
Kalie Valencia, Vice President, Dignity Health Medical Group Nevada, noted that state-of-the-art clinical platforms will ensure the delivery of high quality healthcare and floor plans will make the facility easy for patients to navigate. The clinic will also incorporate modern design – colors, art and furnishings – to create a pleasing environment for patients.
“To me, this building illustrates a commitment,” Valencia said. “It illustrates our commitment to the community to invest in and expand upon the healthcare services here locally and deliver convenient, patient-centered care to our patients.”
That care will be provided by an excellent team of primary care physicians and advanced clinical practitioners. Physician specialists will also utilize the state-of-the-art facility on a rotating basis.
A Thriving Healthcare Network
Anthony Torres, MD, FACP, Chief Medical Officer, Dignity Health, YRMC, is enthusiastic about the new clinic, especially given his history with YRMC’s medical group practices.
“This project has special meaning for me,” he explained. “I began my career with YRMC as a primary care physician at one of our first medical group practices.”
From their introduction in 2009, the clinics were an important addition to the community. Patient visits grew by 10 to 15 percent each of the subsequent years. Currently, the YRMG provider network includes 26 physician clinics with more than 300 clinical and non-clinical staff. Located throughout Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley, the YRMG physician clinics received 320,000 patient visits in 2021.
“This is the tip of the iceberg as far as the Dignity Health-YRMC partnership is concerned,” said Dr. Torres. “There will be many more projects happening with new providers and new facilities and new services spread throughout the quad-city area. We’re just getting started.”
Neighborhood-Based Healthcare
Meeting the unique healthcare needs of our growing community is important to Dignity Health. Speakers at the groundbreaking event noted the new YRMG clinic drills down further to address neighborhood healthcare needs.
“I believe in neighborhoods,” said Steve Sischka, who serves on the Prescott City Council and the Dignity Health, YRMC Board of Trustees. “I also believe in people working, playing and shopping in their neighborhood. This new clinic is going to offer the opportunity for people to have medical services in their neighborhood.”
Sischka noted that the clinic will boost the local economy by bringing healthcare jobs to the community. It will also reduce traffic on major highways and streets by allowing people to access healthcare services in their neighborhood.
Innovation for the Future
Kat Rondeau, Chief Strategy Officer, Dignity Health, Southwest Division, emphasized that the clinic is an example of the kind of healthcare innovation Yavapai County will experience in the future.
“As the community grows and evolves and as healthcare grows and evolves we have the ability to deliver care in a different way,” Rondeau said. “What you’re going to see are innovations and solutions that we didn’t typically have at our fingertips that we will be able to bring to communities.”
Those innovations will mean, for example, new healthcare service lines, facilities and the use of virtual healthcare.
Stay in the Know
Want to keep up-to-date on healthcare happenings at YRMC and the community? Subscribe to YRMC HealthConnect and stay informed.