Greater access to healthcare and a patient's ability to choose when selecting healthcare services and providers have always been a vision shared by many. Yet making that vision a reality is not an easy task.
Sierra Medical Center, Reno's newest full-service regional medical center built from the ground up, will soon open its doors in the South Meadows area. SMC will fulfill the desire of patients and local physicians for new options when obtaining healthcare. This new and beautiful facility will provide residents with convenient access to quality healthcare when and where they need it most, including cardiology, oncology, labor and delivery, neurology, orthopedics and more.
Reno was selected as an ideal location for Sierra Medical Center because of our region's population growth. Not only is SMC centrally located off Longley Lane and Double R Boulevard, but it will serve the greater Truckee Meadows area as a full-service regional hospital. SMC will complement its sister facility, Northern Nevada Medical Center in Sparks, which has already built a safe, quality healthcare tradition.
With 400-plus employees to start, ranging from clinical nurses, tech, housekeepers, and administrative roles, SMC will continue to grow its team as it develops and introduces additional services. In less than a year, SMC will have a Medical Office Building on its campus, which will be home to outpatient services and provider offices.
What sets Sierra Medical Center apart from other fine hospitals in the area?
Breathtaking beauty with local design elements and ambiance from the moment you walk into the main lobby.
All rooms are 100-percent private. Not only do private rooms help a patient heal, but they are one of the tools that SMC uses for infection prevention. SMC patients never share a room with another patient, and visitors will have access to spacious and comfortable seating.
SMC is the first hospital in Nevada built to current seismic standards, which means the facility can withstand extreme weather and earthquake conditions.
Green Globe Certification will designate Sierra Medical Center as the most energy-efficient hospital in the region.
Not seen in other facilities and ideal for a patient's healing journey, all SMC core services are centrally located on the first floor. This one-floor arrangement also supports SMC staff who need quick access to ancillary services while treating patients.
UV robots. Once programmed for a location, these purpose-built disinfecting robots can drive themselves to a room or area. The use of robotic technology is a creative way to quickly and safely clean areas of the hospital, including patient rooms and procedural areas.
Sierra Medical Center's success story is backed by a close to 40-year health system history and tremendous growth experienced in the last four years. What began as a hospital in Sparks has grown into a multi-location system that offers outpatient services through Quail Surgical and Pain Management Center and inpatient hospital care at soon-to-be two locations.
SMC is incredibility proud of the opening of its hospital in the area. It goes without saying that the vision imagined years ago has come to fruition. SMC is grateful to the city of Reno and other partners that have supported it along the way. Most important, SMC is proud of its staff, who have worked tirelessly to prepare for opening day.
Being a new hospital is not without its challenges. First and foremost, SMC is challenged with recruiting for the hundreds of positions needed to open the hospital. Those positions range from clinical nurses to department techs, housekeeping, and administrative roles. Although some of the recruitment challenges have been overcome, COVID-19 changed the face of employment and how new hires engage with hiring organizations. SMC continues to source both local and out-of-market candidates for open positions creatively.
What are some of the questions that people ask about SMC?
Will SMC be a trauma hospital? No. To be designated a trauma facility, a population needs to meet certain thresholds. Although the Reno region is growing, it does not yet have a population to support two trauma-designated hospitals.
Will the hospital in Sparks (Northern Nevada Medical Center) close when SMC opens? While planning for Sierra Medical Center, their leadership team also developed a long-range growth plan for NNMC. Services will be offered across the region at the Sparks and new Reno locations.
Sierra Medical Center’s core focus is to provide a safe environment for patients to receive second-to-none care and offer an experience that supports their needs both inside and outside the hospital.
The future of healthcare delivery is indeed on the horizon and SMC is leading the way.
Want to learn more about the new Sierra Medical Center? Join us for NCET’s Tech Wed on April 13 for an onsite presentation and tour from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., with networking from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets and more information at https://www.ncet.org/ncet-event-calendar/sierra-medical-center
Bill Leonard is VP of Communications for NCET (www.NCET.org) and a freelance content writer of lead-generating case studies, brand and success stories, and white papers that help innovative businesses GROW. Connect with Bill at LinkedIn.com/in/BillLeonardUSA. NCET produces education and networking events to help people explore business and technology.
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