Banner emergency room improvements planned at this Mesa hospital

Banner Desert Medical Center in west Mesa aims to expand and renovate its emergency room lobby and redesign its patient drop-off area.

The hospital, located along Dobson Road and Southern Avenue, has submitted its plans to the city and recently went to the Desing Review Board. The Banner Desert emergency services drop-off area was last expanded in 2012, according to city documents.

The medical center is owned by Banner Health, the state’s largest healthcare provider.

Last year, 114,000 patients were treated in the hospital’s emergency room, which is the highest patient volume of any other emergency department in the state, said Laura Robertson, CEO of Banner Desert Medical Center to the Arizona Republic in a statement. The medical center’s emergency room has 98 beds, Robertson wrote.

Construction work is expected to begin in June and reopen the entrance by January 2025.

During the work, a temporary entrance will be provided at the existing entrances for women and children.

The project proposal seeks to add approximately 4,185 square feet of new space and renovate 10,000 square feet of existing space.

The remodel will “address operational flows” within the emergency department, city documents state. Floor plans show separate waiting areas and exam rooms for adults and children. The documents say it’s for patients for “safety and satisfaction.”

Improvements to the frontage of the patient drop-off area should also remove structures that reduced staff visibility to waiting areas and outdoor space.

“Staff will now be able to see if people are waiting for transportation or are in distress and need help,” the documents state.

The medical center was opened in the 1970s with different owners and has undergone various improvements and renovations over the years. Most recently, the hospital opened a new care center dedicated to women’s health, from childbirth to elderly care. Banner Desert also added a medical intensive care unit, which included 24 new medical-surgical intensive care beds opening in March 2024.