East El Paso hospital expanding with $67 million

EL PASO – Ground has broken on a $67 million, 145,000-sf expansion at Sierra Providence East Medical Center at 3280 Joe Battle Blvd.

The expansion, expected to be completed by 2014, will add a four-story second building including 30 medical beds and 30 surgical beds. The expansion will also add 12 beds to the cardiovascular intensive-care unit at the hospital’s main building and add 11 beds to emergency department, also in the main building.

In 2012, the hospital had about 50,000 visits to its emergency room and served about 7,000 patients.

According to the 2010 Census, the East Side is home to more than 188,000 residents and will continue to grow. The area’s population is expected to increase by 300,000 by 2025, according to the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Currently, the hospital has between 600 and 700 employees, including more than 300 doctors. Once the expansion is complete, the hospital could need about 400 more employees, including doctors and nurses.

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