It seems everyone has an opinion about our local Snoqualmie Valley Hospital. We need it. We don’t need it. Many with strong opinions will tell tales of the hospital’s storied past. But no matter your personal feelings, in just a matter of days, the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital District is moving forward and turning the page on a new chapter with a brand new hospital.
It’s been quite a journey for the local hospital district to open the new facility; a journey filled with bumps and alternate routes and marked by past closures and re-openings along the way.
Eight years ago there were plans to locate the hospital kitty corner from its current site and a partner with Bellevue College to build a much larger (and teaching) facility. But when the City of Snoqualmie was not legally allowed to add the 70 acre land parcel to its Urban Growth Area, the partnership talks fizzled out and the hospital site was relocated inside the city limits.
Then last summer there were plans for an affiliation between Snoqualmie Valley Hospital District Overlake Medical Center, with the new facility opening as ‘Overlake Hospital.’ That plan also fizzled.
Occupancy Certificate Issued – Time to Move on In
So last week, when the City of Snoqualmie issued the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital its Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO), it marked the end of that journey and a fresh start for a brand new facility to serve the surrounding community.
“Temporary Certificate of Occupancy is significant in that we are now officially allowed to move in and set up equipment, offices and conduct departmental training prior to moving in patients,” said Rodger McCollum, CEO of Snoqualmie Valley Hospital District. “This is a major hurdle in achieving our timeline of opening our doors on May 6.”
On May 6th at 6AM, the hospital will officially be able to begin serving patients in its more visible and accessible location off I-90 exit 25 at 9801 Frontier Ave SE.
The two-story building more than doubles the size of the current Snoqualmie Valley Hospital, increasing from 29,000 square feet to 67,000 square feet. [The current Snoqualmie Valley Hospital was sold to the Snoqualmie Tribe.]
The new hospital’s increased space and better design will feature more in-patient rooms, going from 14 double rooms to 25 single rooms, which will help accommodate more “swing-bed” patients—those who are technically eligible to be released from area hospitals, but are not yet prepared or able to care for themselves at home.
In addition to filling a need for more swing-bed space on the Eastside, hospital officials say the new facility will provide a more spacious and efficient environment for patient care and offer Valley residents easily accessible care for any medical problem or emergency starting May 6, 2015, at 6AM.
There will be a Community Open House for the new hospital on Sunday, April 19th, from 12PM – 4PM.
You can read more about the new Snoqualmie Valley Hospital HERE or visit www.snoqualmievalleyhospital.org
