The much-anticipated opening of Colorado Springs’ Centura St. Francis Hospital - Interquest will delight our state’s unique population with state-of-the-art health care and technology. It will be the region’s first dedicated specialty hospital, combining energy- and sound-efficient design and equipment, big mountain views, and healthcare professionals on a mission to heal and uplift the community.
“This hospital is being created to redefine traditional care and allow our employees to think differently and better about the way care is given,” says Bill Lueck, Director of Operations, New Development, Penrose-St. Francis Health Services.
Located at the intersection of Interquest Parkway and I-25, St. Francis Interquest will house leading-edge operating rooms and a full-service emergency department, as well as inpatient and critical care units. The new hospital will create some 300 new jobs. Centura Health anticipates adding more than half of these roles while others will be created by partners and contractors, according to Lueck. Centura is partnering with world-class orthopedic surgeons who practice in the Colorado Springs region to ensure that care delivered inside of the building is as iconic as the building itself.
St. Francis Interquest will combine forces with the world-renowned William J. Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center to provide exceptional sports medicine, physical therapy, and elective orthopedic and spine surgery.
“The facility will serve and celebrate the active and outdoor lifestyle that is so popular in this region,” Lueck says. “Those that live and work in our beloved ‘City for Champions’ will be well-served by St. Francis Interquest, part of Centura’s connected ecosystem of 20 acute care hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, and multi-specialty physician network.”
Smart patient rooms and more
Leveraging innovative technology, St. Francis Interquest will be Centura’s “hospital of the future.” It will include smart patient rooms, whole-hospital telehealth, and real-time locating capabilities for equipment, patients, and caregivers. “We aim to create a seamless experience for patients and providers,” Lueck says. “We’re using technology to allow patients to control certain aspects of their care and securely and easily access their own health information.”
For example, each patient will be escorted to a pre-assigned hospital room where a welcome screen will show the names and photos of their clinical team, so they will know who is coming in and out of their room. In addition, patients will be issued a tablet to adjust room temperature and lights, raise and lower window shades, order food, and access entertainment, spiritual care, or other support services.
For care teams, real-time locating capabilities will notify surgeons who are making hospital rounds via mobile device when their patient has returned to their room after an MRI or a physician therapy session. “This coordination will allow doctors and patients to use their valuable time more efficiently,” Lueck says.
Universally, whole-hospital telehealth will allow healthcare professionals, patients, and families to benefit not only from the care of the incredible team at St. Francis Interquest, but, if needed, the expertise of physicians at other Centura facilities — and around the world.
