Community Hospital

Author: Julie Gordon

Boulder Community Hospital is in desperate need of an expansion and hopes to open a new campus in east Boulder within the next couple of years, David Gehant, the hospital's president and CEO, said at Boulder Tomorrow's Feb. 22 luncheon.

Gehant said the new campus is needed because of the growing number of patients using the current facility. Boulder Community Hospital has experienced roughly six percent growth for the past 13 years, he said. The number of emergency visits, births, and outpatient surgeries is on the rise. Currently, there are about 38,000 emergency visits a year, or more than 1,000 visits a day, Gehant said.

Boulder Community Hospital wants to build a 150,000 square foot women's and children's center on the corner of Arapahoe and Foothills, just west of Ball Aerospace. The center would take a lot of pressure off Boulder Community Hospital, and enable it expand its cardiology and neurology units as well as its services for the elderly population.

Boulder Community Hospital is going to bring its expansion plans before the planning board in June. We've had wonderful support from the city government thus far, the goal is to break ground by the end of the year, and have the center ready for use in 2003 - ideally, no later than June of 2003, Gehant said.

Boulder Community Hospital is aware that some people who live in the area of the proposed center might have concerns about the additional traffic and congestion that it would generate. But thus far, there hasn't been much objection and opposition from people who live in the neighborhood, Gehant said.

It isn't possible to expand any further onto Boulder Community Hospital as there just isn't any room, Gehant pointed out. The hospital is 350,000 square feet on a nine and a half acre campus. "If you look at that site, it's really built out," Gehant said. "

Elmer Zessin, a Boulder Tomorrow member, said Gehant did a good job of showing the possibilities for the center and that the Boulder Community Hospital won't outgrow the expansion immediately. "I thought it (Gehant's speech) was well-presented and realistic," he said. Zessin, who works just a few blocks away from where the proposed center would be, he personally didn't have any concerns about it being in the area. "I think it's a marvelous use of the last cow pasture in town," he said. "(But) it will be the disappearance of last agricultural plot."

Colene Van Winkle of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce, also enjoyed Gehant's speech. "I wasn't totally aware of what they were going to do there," she said. "To see what their plans were was interesting."

While Gehant primarily focused on Boulder Community Hospital's proposed expansion, he also talked about how there's a shortage of nurses nationwide, and it's difficult for Boulder Community Hospital to attract nurses when there isn't enough affordable housing in Boulder. Additionally, he provided a history of Boulder Community Hospital, and discussed its mission and vision.

Boulder Community Hospital, a nonprofit charitable corporation, is locally-owned and locally-controlled. Gehant said that Boulder Community Hospital provides health care "in a very compassionate way" and that it "treats rich and poor alike." Boulder Community Hospital has roughly 2,000 employees, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, audiologists, secretaries, and plumbers. There are also hundreds of volunteers.

Gehant has been president and CEO of Boulder Community Hospital for thirteen years. He received his bachelor's degree in business administration from Concordia College and his master's degree in hospital administration from the University of Minnesota. Before coming to Boulder, Gehant was an administrator at hospitals in South Dakota and Minnesota. He is a past board chair of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce and past president of the Boulder YMCA's board of directors and past chairman of the Colorado Hospital Association's board of directors.

Boulder Tomorrow's next luncheon will be held March 22, again at the Angel Pines Country Club, 5706 Arapahoe Road, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Sam Addoms, president and CEO of Frontier Airlines, will discuss problems facing the airline industry and the commute between Denver International Airport and Boulder. He will also give away an airline ticket. Boulder Tomorrow's luncheons cost $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers.