UCHealth to give community a sneak peek inside new Greeley Hospital

Just as crews are putting the finishing touches on UCHealth Greeley Hospital, clinicians and staff are getting ready for the new hospital’s big debut.

At two events on June 15, the community will get a chance to learn more about the services that will be offered at UCHealth’s new hospital southwest of the intersection of U.S. 34 and 65^th Avenue. The morning will kick off with the “Teddy Bear Hospital” event geared for families from 9 a.m. until noon. The Community Open House welcoming the general public and offering tours of the new facility will be from 1 to 4 p.m.

The 212,000-square-foot facility is set to open this summer with 50 inpatient beds and room to grow. The full-service hospital will feature an intensive care unit, operating rooms, a Level III trauma center and emergency department, a birth center with a Level II special care nursery, a cardiac catheterization lab and 24-hour retail pharmacy, laboratory and imaging services.

“We will soon be opening our doors to care for our first patients and deliver the hospital’s first babies,” said Marilyn Schock, Greeley Hospital president. “After much time planning and preparing, we are proud to welcome our community to see and feel what’s in store at their new hospital.”

For the Teddy Bear Hospital, children are encouraged to bring their own favorite stuffed animal or doll to receive a little “TLC.” UCHealth emergency staff will bandage, suture and even X-ray the “patient” based on its injuries or illnesses reported to them by each child, who will learn about what happens during an emergency room visit and what they can do to stay safe.

“A trip to an emergency room can be scary for little ones because they just don’t know what to expect,” said Emily Garner, manager of the emergency department at Greeley Hospital. “This popular event is a great opportunity to bring children through the emergency room and simulate what a visit might be like for the child, with his or her stuffed animal as the patient instead.

This unique experience is free, fun and aims to decrease the anxiety and fear a child might have should they have a medical emergency in the future and need to go to the hospital, Garner added.

UCHealth and Emergency Physicians of the Rockies will be giving mini teddy bears away to the first 250 young guests at the Teddy Bear Hospital. Various community programs will host information and fun activities, and emergency vehicles and the UCHealth LifeLine helicopter will be on site for the children to tour.

The afternoon’s Community Open House will give attendees a chance to see a number of areas of the facility, from the emergency room and the intensive care unit, to the birth center and even the gift shop. Physicians and providers will be on hand to answer questions and demonstrate some of the latest technology that will be used to deliver an exceptional patient experience and high-quality care. Representatives from the hospital’s volunteer office also will be on hand to share more information about opportunities to get involved at the hospital.

SIDEBAR

WHERE TO GO

Providers and staff at UCHealth Greeley Hospital are offering the community two opportunities to get a sneak peek at the new hospital at 6767 W. 29th St. before it officially opens this summer. Both events are free and open to the public. No RSVPs required.

• Teddy Bear Hospital
  9 a.m.–noon Saturday, June 15
  The emergency department staff will provide treatment for participating children’s favorite stuffed animals and dolls at the Teddy Bear Hospital, a fun event that helps relieve some of the fears kids can feel about visits to the hospital or doctor’s office. Children should bring their own stuffed animal.
• Community Open House
  1–4 p.m. Saturday, June 15
  The public will get a behind-the-scenes tour of the new Greeley Hospital, from the emergency room and intensive care unit to the acute care unit and birth center.