UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies (MCR) in Loveland is planning a major expansion to meet the growing health care needs of northern Colorado. The highlights of the expansion project include a new tower that will be built on the north side of the hospital, the creation of a comprehensive cancer center, an expanded emergency department and additional imaging and cardiac spaces. When complete, the project will increase the hospital’s bed capacity from 187 to 283 with room to grow up to 319 beds.
UC Health MCR Expansion Project
“We are excited to expand our offerings in one of the fastest-growing areas of the state and expand patients’ access to our nationally recognized specialists and clinical care teams,” said UCHealth President and CEO Elizabeth Concordia. “It is important for us that we continue to meet the needs of the community, both today and into the future.”
Weld and Larimer counties were among the top five counties for population growth between 2010 and 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In that time, Weld’s population grew more than 30 percent. Larimer grew nearly 20 percent. In part because of population growth, Colorado currently has fewer hospital beds per 1,000 residents than the U.S. average.
The project is currently in the design phase. UCHealth expects to break ground in late-2023. The cancer center is expected to begin seeing patients in mid-2024, and the new tower is expected to open in 2026.
The hospital, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, was recently designated a Level I trauma center, making it the first and only hospital in northern Colorado with the highest classification for adult trauma care. In 2020, Fortune/IBM Watson Health named the hospital as a 100 Top Hospital. In 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked the hospital as the No. 2 hospital in Colorado.