Walla Walla, WA—Providence Health & Services-Washington has purchased four vacant buildings on the site where Adventist Health closed Walla Walla General Hospital last year.
Adventist Health chose Providence following its request for proposals from potential buyers. This purchase allows Providence to fulfill a community need for greater access to primary care and outpatient surgical care in Walla Walla.
“With this purchase we are continuing our longstanding pledge to meet the health needs of Walla Walla,” said Susan Blackburn, Chief Administrative Offer of Providence St. Mary Medical Center. “Over the past several years, we’ve served a growing number of patients and expect this trend to continue. This additional space allows us to care for more patients, and address the community’s need for additional heath care services.”
The purchase includes:
- The former Walla Walla General Hospital building at 1025 S. Second Ave.
- A building at 1103 S. Second Ave.
- The Family Medicine building at 1111 S. Second Ave.
- A five-suite medical office building at 1017 S. Second Ave.
Providence plans to convert the buildings into a multi-use outpatient facility with primary care, specialty clinics, urgent care, and other important services.
In addition, Providence is seeking a Certificate of Need from the Washington State Department of Health to establish a two-operating-room and two-procedure-room ambulatory (outpatient) surgery center, which will be located in the former Walla Walla General Hospital building. It would have a short-stay unit designed for stays of 23 hours or less.
The new outpatient facility will improve access to lower-cost health care settings outside the hospital, and reduce outpatient surgery wait times for patients. It also will give Providence the space needed to increase the number of primary care providers and specialists in the community.
The vacant buildings already are designed for medical use, allowing Providence to expand needed services sooner than would be possible with new construction. Plans for the property will now move forward, with a phased opening of services to begin in late summer to early fall 2018. The community first can expect to see Providence Medical Group Urgent Care move onto the campus.
Media Contact:
For more information and interview requests, contact:
- Providence St. Mary Medical Center
Kathleen Obenland
Director, Marketing & Communications
509-897-2295
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