YOUR AD HERE »

Yampa Valley Medical Center adding new cancer center, outpatient pavilion

Scott Franz
Yampa Valley Medical Center's board of trustees recently approved a $14.3 million plan for the renovation of the former Doak Walker Care Center and the construction of a new cancer treatment center.
John F. Russell

— Yampa Valley Medical Center’s latest expansion project is poised to benefit many of the hospital’s patients and the doctors who treat them.

The hospital’s board of trustees recently approved a $14.3 million expansion plan that will construct a new cancer treatment center at the YVMC campus and convert what used to be the Doak Walker Care Center into a new outpatient pavilion.

The cancer center will be housed in the top floor of a new, 14,000-square-foot building that will be added to the east side of the hospital next to the former Doak.



Cancer services at the hospital are currently spread out in different areas, and the new center will consolidate the services in one new location.

More than 3,000 people received a form of cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment at YVMC last year, according to hospital officials.



The bottom floor of the new building will be shelled off and available for future expansion.

The former Doak, which includes 26,000 square feet of space, will be renovated and converted into the outpatient pavilion that will house the new Gloria Gossard Breast Health Center, YampaCare Cardiology and YampaCare for Women, a program that offers services ranging from obstetrics and gynecology to menopause care.

There also will be new office space in the pavilion for visiting specialists who see local patients.

“As we continue to grow and the community continues to grow, we’re grateful we have the resources to be able to expand when we need to,” hospital CEO Frank May said Tuesday afternoon as he discussed the expansion plans.

A pre-application for the expansion was recently submitted to the city’s planning department.

The changes will happen in two phases.

The first phase includes the new office suite for YampaCare for Women and that project is scheduled to start this summer.

Phase 2 includes the construction of the new cancer center and all of the other renovations at the former Doak.

The second phase is scheduled to begin early this fall and wrap up in late 2016.

Tony Connell, chairman of the hospital’s board of trustees, said the expansion comes at a time when the hospital is becoming more of a regional provider for health care.

“It’s a great vision for the community,” Connell said of the improvements. “Outpatient services are where the community has seen growth. We’re increasing our service lines where people can get more and more of their care locally rather than having to travel to the Front Range and lose a day. I’m proud we have such high quality care.”

To reach Scott Franz, call 970-871-4210, email scottfranz@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @ScottFranz10


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Craig and Moffat County make the Craig Press’ work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.