Hospitals in Southwest Riverside County Pursue Growth Strategies

Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta and Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar are spending $90 million on renovations aimed at drawing more patients, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reports. 

In January 2009, Rancho Springs Medical Center officials aim to open a two-story, 72,000 square-foot building that will house a new emergency department and birthing centers.  The $53 million expansion will add:

• 18 emergency bays;
• 17 labor and delivery rooms;
• Two caesarean section suites;
• 24 private postpartum rooms; and
• An 11-bed neonatal intensive-care unit.

By April, Inland Valley Medical Center's intensive-care unit will increase from eight to 18 patient beds as part of a $37 million, 30,000 square-foot expansion.  As part of the expansion, the ED will increase from 13 to 27 bays and a new heart surgery unit will open.

By September 2009, IVMC plans to open an interventional cardiac care unit for advanced heart surgery.

Hospital executives said the expansions will enhance health care in an underserved area.

Both hospitals are owned by Southwest Healthcare System, a subsidiary of Universal Health Services of Pennsylvania (Horseman, Riverside Press-Enterprise, 10/19).