New Lehi Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital provides care to first patients

On Monday, the first three patients at the new Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi were welcomed with cheers and applause from about 400 caregivers. This event marked a historic day for pediatric care in Utah.

The opening of the second campus of Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital marks the most significant boost in children’s healthcare delivery in the Intermountain West in more than 100 years, when the hospital was founded in Salt Lake City.

“The new facility is beautiful. It’s amazing, with the windows, the view, and the patio. It’s going to be awesome for Kylee and all the other kids to be able to take advantage of its location,” said Danielle Jackson, mother of Kylee Jackson, one of the first patients at the new hospital. “We’re closer to home, and it will help her feel like she’s not missing out on school, field trips and activities as much.”

The first three patients have been traveling to the Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, Salt Lake Campus to receive monthly infusion treatments to help them continue to grow and thrive. The Miller Family Campus’ Infusion Center opened for one day before the grand opening to give them the treatments they needed, closer to home.  

The first patients are Kaylee Rasmussen, 11; Kylee Jackson, 12; and Marissa Kauffman, 14. All three girls hope to one day become pediatric nurses themselves. Each of their mothers had something to say about their daughters’ resilience in treatment and their excitement for a facility closer to home.

“She’s got lots and lots of training so far as a ‘professional patient,’” laughed Kaylee’s mom, Cassie Rasmussen.

“She’s brave and full of courage,” said Kylee Jackson’s mother, Danielle. “This has been a journey, but one where everyone’s grown stronger because of it. I’m so incredibly proud of her.”  

“Being a first patient at the new Primary Children’s campus has been such a fun experience for Marissa,” said Tara Kauffman, Marissa’s mother. “We’re blessed we got to have this opportunity. Everyone at the new campus has been so amazing to work with!”

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The new Miller Family Campus is a full-service children’s hospital providing nearly all the same specialty pediatric services that patients receive at the Salt Lake Campus. It includes the Outpatient Center, a trauma center and Life Flight helipad, a medical office building and a five-story, 66-bed, 486,000-square-foot Primary Children’s Hospital.

Medical staff will be fully integrated with the pediatric specialists at University of Utah Health, who will continue to work collaboratively with Primary Children’s caregivers at the Salt Lake Campus to provide the highest level of pediatric care to patients.

“As we were preparing to open the Miller Family Campus, we were intentional about keeping  ‘The Child First and Always’ when creating an environment that’s not only medically advanced, but a warm, nurturing sanctuary of healing, hope and comfort,” said Lisa Paletta, president of the Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, Miller Family Campus. “The care teams that we’ve recruited to help our young patients are among the most skilled and compassionate in the nation. I’m so proud to stand with them as we honor our first three patients–and the thousands more we will care for in the years to come.”