YRMC: Through the Years

Since Parkview Hospital (now Yuma Regional Medical Center) opened with 75 beds in 1958, it has witnessed changes to its facilities, community and the world.

On the 50th anniversary of the hospital's inception, The Sun is looking back on notable events and developments in its history, as document in hospital records:

1960s

The 1960s saw a number of administrative changes occur at the hospital. In 1961, the hospital was renamed Parkview Baptist Hospital.

In 1963, the Volunteer Auxiliary was founded to provide extra service to patients, run the gift shop and do administrative tasks. In 1965, the Med East Building was added.

1970s

The 1970s were a time for expansion at the hospital. It was renamed Yuma Regional Medical Center in 1972, and West Wing additions to the hospital were completed two years later.

During the same time, projects expanding the emergency room were also completed. The Foundation of YRMC was organized in 1975, and the 3 West expansion of 1977 added 53 beds to the total hospital capacity.

A year later the Foundation of YRMC began fundraising for the hospital's first CT scanner, which it eventually installed in 1979. In 1978, the foundation hosted its first Tractor Rodeo, an annual event that raises money for foundation projects.

1980s

The 1980s saw continued expansion, both professional and charitable. In 1984, the Foundation of YRMC hosted its first Western Dance at Britain Farms. In 1985, Med West was completed, adding 46 beds to the facilities. The intensive care unit also expanded during this year, and an MRI machine was added to the new imaging center.

A year later, the Foundation of YRMC began the Tree of Life, a permanent, mural-like display that recognizes donors to the hospital.

The Children's Rehabilitative Services opened in 1987, the same year that the Clinical Pastoral Education program began. In 1988, the emergency department also expanded.

1990s

The 1990s saw an emphasis on access to health services. In 1993, the Women and Children Services building opened where the Engineering and Laundry rooms once were located. Three years later, YRMC's school health care program began at Rancho Viejo School.

In 1998, the YRMC changed to its current logo and installed "Elvis," the pharmacy robot who fills prescriptions through the use of a bar code system. A year later, Yuma Regional Medical Plaza opened.

2000 and beyond

At the turn of the century, all of these developments continued to take effect and change the way in which the hospital appeared and operated.

In 2000, Yuma Regional Corporate Center opened and the School Health Care mobile van began traveling to rural centers to address residents' health.

In 2003, the groundwork was laid for a new bed tower project that reached completion the following year. The new bed tower opened with a 42-bed capacity ICU and a 36-bed capacity telemetry floor and Heart Center. YRMC also banned smoking on its grounds that year.

The subsequent year, YRMC expanded its cardiac care facilities to include open-heart surgery and expanded its reach outside the city by opening the Foothills Campus site.

In 2006, YRMC added PET/CT services and expanded its Women and Children Services. In 2007, YRMC Wound Care Center opened with two hyperbaric chambers, which are used to heal difficult wounds through delivery of 100 percent oxygen to the patient.

The latest addition to YRMC's arsenal of technology has been a new grid pulse fluoroscopy machine, which, according to Eldon Dyer, director of diagnostic imaging at YRMC, shortens examination times and decreases exposure to harmful X-rays. The machine has been in use at YRMC since late summer 2008.

Currently construction is under way for four new operating room suites and a 479-vehicle parking garage.

Since its inception, YRMC has grown from 71,800 square feet to over 720,000 square feet, including Yuma Regional Medical Plaza, office space in the corporate center and the Foothills Campus.