For Immediate ReleaseContact: Natalie Goldstein, Children’s
Phone: 303-861-3970
Media Pager: 303-890-8314
Kim Kobel, Exempla Saint Joseph
Phone: 303-813-5216
The Children’s Hospital and Exempla Healthcare to build Children’s facility at
Saint Joseph Hospital
Children’s continued presence downtown strengthens and expands network of care for the children of Denver
(DENVER, September 15, 2005) – The Children’s Hospital will open a new pediatric hospital within a hospital at Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital in late summer 2007, before its new hospital opens at Fitzsimons, Children’s and Exempla announced today. It will be staffed by Children’s.
To be called “The Children’s Hospital at Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital,” the new entity fulfills Children’s commitment to maintain a significant presence in downtown Denver, in addition to continuing its initiatives and partnerships with other health-care organizations. The new facility, which will include urgent care and emergency services, observation beds and inpatient beds, will be housed in completely renovated space at St. Joseph Hospital.
“We are thrilled to be able to say that Children’s is staying in the neighborhood,” said Dori Biester, PhD, RN, and Children’s president and CEO. “This partnership will be a wonderful collaboration between two great institutions. It will provide an enormous benefit to children and fulfills our promise to the families of Denver.This will be a major addition to our 11-center health network throughout the Denver area and in Pueblo.”
“For more than a century Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital has been at the heart of this city, and today we at Exempla Healthcare celebrate that with The Children’s Hospital we can bring this great new pediatric care center to the children and families of Denver,” said Jeff Selberg, president and CEO Exempla Healthcare.
“This new partnership is great for the children and families of Denver,” said Denver City Councilwoman Elbra Wedgeworth, who represents the district where the new facility will be located. “The Children's Hospital and Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital have had a historical presence in east Denver and have always maintained a strong commitment to the City and County of Denver. Their presence and commitment continues and is strengthened by The Children’s Hospital at Saint Joseph Hospital.”
The new collaboration with Saint Joseph Hospital isone ofmany partnerships of The Children’s Hospital around the metro area, including those with Denver Health and Centura Health.
Joan Bothner, MD,vice president, physician services, ambulatory and satellite operations for The Children’s Hospital, said: “Our goal, as always, is to meet the health needs of children with high-quality medical care in a family-friendly setting. It permits us to continue offering service to Denver children on a 24/7 basis.”
“This is an exciting day for us at Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital,” said Selberg. “Bringing together Colorado’s leading delivery hospital at Saint Joseph Hospital and the state’s premier children’s hospital is a wonderful way to extend Saint Joseph ’s 132 year tradition of providing the very best care to the parents and children of Denver.”
The facility will be staffed by doctors, nurses and other care providers from The Children’s Hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Each of the 12 Children’s inpatient rooms will feature:
- New and spacious rooms to accommodate families and emerging technology.
- Family sleeping accommodations
- Individual bathrooms with showers
- Internet access for both educational and entertainment use for children and business access for families
Founded in 1908, The Children’s Hospital is a private, not-for-profit pediatric health-care network dedicated 100 percent to caring for kids. It has been ranked one of the best children’s hospitals in America by U.S. News & World Report and Child Magazine. With more than 600 experienced experts representing pediatric specialties, and more than 2,900 full-time employees, Children’s is home to a number of nationally and internationally recognized medical programs. From medical breakthroughs to late-night fevers, Children’s provides complete pediatric care at its main campus and through a network that includes eleven Children’s Care Centers and more than 400 outreach clinics held in three states each year. For more information, visit the web site at
The founding hospitals of Exempla Healthcare—Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital and Exempla Lutheran Medical Lutheran Medical Center—have provided health care services for the residents of Metro Denver for more than 200 years combined. In 2004, Exempla Healthcare celebrated the opening of its newest facility, Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette, Colorado. An acute care facility, Saint Joseph Hospital is an award winning medical center and one of the most respected hospitals in Denver. It remains a Catholic health care facility in the tradition of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Kansas. Saint Joseph Hospital continues as the largest private teaching hospital in Denver and is committed to serving its patients with a tradition of caring that includes compassionate caregivers, stellar clinical expertise and the most advanced technology available. Additional information can be found at