Banner breaking ground in July

Thursday morning, Donald Sanada, vice-president of operations for East Valley Banner Medical Group, spoke at the monthly Chamber of Commerce breakfast held at the Ak-Chin Casino Resort.

Sanada expressed Banner’s excitement as they move closer to construction mobilization for the new facility in Maricopa.

“We are looking to break ground in early July, and this will be a fast track project for us,” said Sanada. Population growth in Maricopa has been a major factor and a driving force for the project to be pushed forward with the idea it would a “flagship” facility. Sanada said it would be the first multi-use facility that could provide family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics and ob-gyn services.

“Maricopa is at a ‘basic care level’ stage,” said Sanada. Although the city appears not currently in need of an urgent care hospital, Banner expects to expand operations as the city grows.

According to Banner’s research, the median age of residents in Maricopa is 29; therefore, a large number of families have pediatric needs. Sanada said the primary focus of the facility would be family practice. Internal medicine services for seniors, 65 and older, would be secondary. 

Sanada said the facility will be considered an after-hours care center. The daily hours will be 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., including weekend hours to provide medical first-aid.

Construction activities will occur in three phases. Both the first and second phase will create 40,000 square feet, and the third phase will be the construction of an outpatient surgery center. Sanada provided an approximate completion date for the first phase “at the end of the second fiscal quarter of 2012.”

He reached out to Chamber members in real estate. “We want our physicians to live in the community. At the Ironwood Medical Center about 80 percent of our staff are from the surrounding community, and we think that’s a great benefit for everyone.” Located in the San Tan Valley, Ironwood Medial Center services the Queen Creek community.  

During the first phase of operations Sanada anticipates a staff of 20-30 people, and, as the center grows, he expects a staff of between 50-60, both physicians and medical assistants. Currently, Sanada says there are roughly 200 Banner employees who live in Maricopa. The human resources division will be looking at both transfers and new hires.

“Banner has been investing in Maricopa since January 2007. I’m really looking forward to finally seeing construction begin,” Sanada said. “Expect to be seeing a lot of me, and I’m sure I’ll enjoy trying all the restaurants in town.”