Sewell tours newly completed UAB Medical West Hospital

August 16, 2024 Bessemer, AL – Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell (D-AL07) toured the newly completed UAB Medical West Hospital. Rep. Sewell was joined by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development Dr. Basil Gooden, USDA State Director for Rural Development Nivory Gordon, and UAB Medical West CEO Keith Pennington. The newly completed UAB Medical West Hospital in Bessemer, Alabama was made possible in part by a $360 million USDA Community Facilities Direct Loan that Rep. Sewell helped secure in 2022.

"I was so grateful for the opportunity to tour the newly completed UAB Medical West Hospital this morning," said Rep. Sewell. "This project would not have been possible without an outpouring of community support including the monumental $360 million USDA loan that we secured for its construction. This premiere, state-of-the-art facility is a testament to the power of community partnerships, and I can't wait to see the impact it will have for the residents of Jefferson County and the surrounding areas."

The new building is located at 5000 Medical West Way, includes a 412,000 square foot, 9-story hospital with 200 beds and a 127,000 square foot, 7-story medical office building. The facility features a new surgical and endoscopy suite, including robotic surgery and 12 operating rooms, state-of-the-art imaging technology and more intensive care beds.

Each floor was designed around flora native to the state of Alabama. It features a pond with walking trails, rocking chairs, fireplaces, and floor-to-ceiling windows in patient rooms. It is intended to be a true space of wellness and healing not only for patients, but for its staff members, visitors and entire community.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System purchased the existing Medical West Hospital campus in Bessemer as part of a $51.25-million deal. UAB then applied for and received the federal subsidy from USDA to construct the new hospital south of Interstate I-459 in McCalla.

UAB Health Systems - a state of Alabama entity - has also recently acquired St. Vincents - its largest healthcare competitor in the Birmingham-Hoover Metro Area.

Congresswoman Sewell has represented Congressional District Seven since her first election in 2010.

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