NAH Board approves $300 million investment to expand facilities and programs
Healthcare is changing, and so are we. Today, the role of the healthcare provider extends beyond offering “sick care” in healthcare centers to creating better overall quality of life through improved access to the right care, at the right time, and at the right place across the continuum.
The driving forces within Northern Arizona Healthcare now align with this new calling, outlined in the New Era Strategic Plan, adopted by the NAH Board of Directors in September and shared with colleagues in October.
“We were able to create a framework for NAH’s leadership team that allows it to be focused on you – our colleagues, providers and our communities as we embark on a new healthcare journey,” said Alice Gagnaire, RN, Chair of the NAH Board of Directors. “We are excited for what the future holds for our health system, its partners and our communities.”
The New Era Strategic Plan demonstrates NAH’s commitment to its colleagues, patients, providers, partners and communities through a $300 million investment over three years in infrastructure, in addition to investment in people and programs, to support a seamless continuum of care focused on health and wellness. The New Era at NAH is committed to communities, patients, colleagues, providers and partners. That is why this plan is referred to as NAH+. NAH will develop partnerships and relationships, while providing the resources for our communities to experience the right care, at the right time, and the right place.
“This plan lays out the foundation for a New Era culture at NAH, by establishing a new set of values and beliefs. It also lays out initiatives that we must complete within the next three years to live our Mission – Improving health, healing people – in the communities that we serve,” said NAH President and CEO Florence Spyrow, MSN, MPA/MHA, JD, FACHE.
Adoption of the plan concludes a yearlong journey for NAH, which started with the Board of Directors’ adoption of the new Mission – Improving health, healing people – and Vision – Always better care. Every person, every time…together. The Board also committed to becoming a fully-integrated health system, rather than operating as two separate hospitals, to provide better patient care, enhance quality and improve access. This means patients and families can expect to experience the same amazing care at all NAH locations, as well as easy transitions in care regardless of where it is received.
Colleagues and providers then engaged in a lengthy process to develop our new Values, the behaviors we must display to achieve the Mission and Vision. The Values identified are: Do amazing work!; Respect differences; Build community; Show compassion; and Be better together. Each has a symbolic icon that represents it on our New Era Strategic Plan triangle and serves as a reminder to colleagues of what we must do.
These essential components, along with our Beliefs about the future, and our strategic objectives, create the basis for the New Era Strategic Plan, depicted by our strategy triangle.
Investing in our Communities
Major initiatives are called out in the New Era Strategic Plan to support the communities in Northern Arizona. More than 60% of patients treated in Flagstaff are from outside of Flagstaff, making NAH’s Flagstaff Medical Center a regional provider of inpatient care. In the Verde Valley, expanding access to outpatient services, including primary, specialty and cancer care, is a top priority, while also continuing to provide high-quality care in our hospital.
Projects we will be completing to support the region during the first phase of the New Era Strategic Plan include:
- Redesign of inpatient facilities to create all private rooms and expanded care areas.
- In partnership with orthopedic providers, development of an outpatient surgery center.
- Expansion of outpatient care, including the Children’s Health Center.
- Additional primary care access.
- Immediate care in Camp Verde.
- Redesign of the Medical Office Building located on the Verde Valley Medical Center campus to create “one-stop-shopping” for primary and specialty care, as well as imaging services.
- Consolidation of services at the NAH Village of Oak Creek Campus, including EntireCare, lab, primary care and eventually immediate care.
- Remodel of Sedona Campus to include two new medical oncologists to offer chemotherapy and other medications as part of our cancer program.