Meg Cleary, CEO

Northern Nevada Medical Center has announced an expansion that will significantly increase the facility's capabilities to serve the primary care and specialty needs of the fast-growing Sparks-Reno area. The 48,000-square-foot professional office building will provide three stories of medical office space for physicians and medical services. Construction is expected to begin in the spring, with completion slated for 2006.

In addition to the professional office building, Northern Nevada also is adding a parking structure. Both buildings will be at the south end of the hospital adjacent to the current emergency department; current and new buildings will be connected by enclosed walkways.

"The Sparks area alone is growing by almost 5 percent annually, well ahead of the nation and even the rest of Washoe County, and communities to the east of us such as Fernley are growing even more dramatically," said Meg Cleary, Northern Nevada Medical Center CEO. "We're expanding to assure that the community we serve will have access to healthcare -- from primary care physicians to sophisticated diagnostics and specialty care -- through the coming decades."

Two medical office buildings, Vista Medical Terrace and Sparks Medical Building, currently are located on Northern Nevada Medical Center's campus. Increasing physician office space is a major goal for the hospital, since current data show the Sparks area should have dozens more family care, internal medicine and surgical specialists to provide adequate access to healthcare. Providing convenient access to the hospital, especially important to surgeons, also is a major objective of this expansion. "Cutting-edge medical office space will make it possible for more physicians to locate in Sparks and offer their patients the best possible care," said Cleary.

Opening in 2006: Artist's renderings show aerial and front views of Northern Nevada Medical Center's campus expansion, including 48,000 square feet of professional medical space and a parking structure.

Northern Nevada Medical Center 2375 E. Prater Way, Sparks, NV 89434 775-331-7000