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- Construction has begun on a new surgical tower at St. George Regional Hospital.
- Hospital executives say the expansion addresses the needs of a growing population and tourists.
- Funding from the Jubilee of Trees charity will enable technology upgrades for better patient outcomes.
ST. GEORGE — Utah's third-fastest-growing city has the state's highest percentage of seniors, according to Intermountain Health, which is expanding its St. George Regional Hospital to meet the needs of residents, but also the many tourists at nearby national parks and recreational areas.
Intermountain Health broke ground on a surgical tower that will add more operating rooms. Donations from the 2023 Jubilee of Trees community fundraiser — a 41-year-old event — will be used to build the hospital.
Natalie Ashby, the hospital's president, said the hospital has been adding seven surgeons each year and needs additional space and technology to keep pace with the community's needs.
"We've seen tremendous growth in our area and are so pleased to begin this expansion of our surgical services to meet the needs of our increasing population," she said at the groundbreaking ceremony Monday.
Funding from the Jubilee of Trees will also provide technology upgrades to help surgeries be more precise and less invasive, meaning patients will have better outcomes and shorter recoveries, a statement from Intermountain said.
Dr. Patrick Carroll, chief medical officer at St. George Regional, said the expansion will also allow them to treat more patients and have shorter wait times.
"We are committed to the health and well-being of our community and always strive to provide access to world-class care," he said.
Karen Conner, a critical care nurse from Lander, Wyoming, was walking along a dirt road in La Verkin, Washington County, in April 2023 when she went to check out a smell, tripped on a rock and fell 40 feet down a cliff. A small rock and bush kept her from falling even further into the Virgin River.
She was flown by Life Flight to the trauma center at the St. George hospital and said the team there did a great job putting her back together.
"I felt very grateful I was still alive and not paralyzed," said Conner, who had broken her spine and neck in multiple places. She said she still drives eight hours to have her post-hospitalization care at the St. George Regional Hospital to maintain a continuum of care.
"Trauma surgery is not always the easiest. The trauma program in St. George is pretty advanced compared to other parts of the country," Conner said.
Loriana De Crescenzo, executive director at the Intermountain Foundation at the St. George hospital, said the foundation is blessed to be part of a community that "embodies the spirit of giving" and steps up to help.
This generosity, Intermountain Health said in a statement, was vital for not just this upcoming addition but also to establishing Life Flight services, pediatric behavioral health services, neuroscience services and cancer care in St. George.
