By Sharla Steinman
Loveland Reporter-Herald
LOVELAND, Colo. — Banner Health’s McKee Medical Center announced Thursday that it will stop offering emergency services in November and become a specialty hospital.
Come Nov. 5, the medical center, located at 2000 N. Boise Ave., will be known as the Banner North Colorado Medical Center – Loveland campus, and will provide medical and surgical services, outpatient rehabilitation, a cardiac catheterization lab, cardiac rehabilitation and interventional radiology, the press release stated.
| WATCH: Conquering pediatric airway panic: Training, tools and tough truths
“We want to make sure that we’re providing the services that best meet the needs of the residents of Loveland and the surrounding communities,” said Banner Health spokesperson Don Stanziano.
But the closure came as a shock to some of the medical center’s partners, including Thompson Valley EMS, which regularly transports patients to the hospital, said Thompson Valley EMS Chief James Robinson.
Once the McKee Medical Center closes, the UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies, located at 2500 Rocky Mountain Ave., will become Thompson Valley Health Services District’s only emergency room.
Robinson said that although the difference between the two hospitals is just a few minutes, in a medical emergency that “certainly can make a difference.” He added that he also worries about patient choice, the extra load on the Medical Center of the Rockies and ambulances having to travel out of district more.
“Healthcare is one of those things that’s highly personal and people want to have choices,” Robinson said.
He added that he found out about the closure after sending a Thompson Valley EMS captain to the medical center to check why it was on emergency room divert Thursday morning.
“We meet monthly with them to review cases and we’ve had great relationship with them, but had no inkling this was coming,” Robinson said.
He added that over the last few years he has noticed a slight decline in the number of people being transported to McKee. Since 2021, nearly 56% of Thompson Valley EMS patients were transported to the Medical Center of the Rockies, while nearly 37% were transported to McKee, according to Thompson Valley EMS data shared with the Loveland Reporter-Herald. The largest changes were seen in 2022, which is also the year the Medical Center of the Rockies was designated as a level one trauma center by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. McKee has a level three trauma rating.
Stanziano said that the decision to shut down the emergency room came as a response to community need.
“Loveland is already well served,” Stanziano said. “There are more hospital beds and more emergency room capacity than the community needs. Loveland has spoken and based on the numbers, they don’t need the level of services that we’ve made available.”
The hospital is currently using only around 25% of its beds, he said, adding that clinics have become more popular in recent years for less serious injuries. Stanziano said people can still visit the Banner Urgent Care nearby, located at 2555 E. 13th St., Unit 110, for non-serious illnesses and injuries.
Thompson Valley EMS hopes to continue working with Banner Health after the medical center transitions into a specialty hospital, Robinson said, adding that he also wants to work proactively with the campus to transport non-emergency patients.
Employees affected by the change will be given priority consideration for open Banner Health positions, career counseling, and other support services, the press release stated. The release did not specify how many employees will be affected.
Stanziano said that the decision to change the medical center aligns with plans to expand services in Northern Colorado, adding that Banner Health has been present in the community for decades. Banner Health formed in 1999 with the merging of two health systems, which were present in Northern Colorado prior to that merger.
Loveland Memorial Hospital started its first 24-hour emergency care room in 1975; that hospital became McKee Medical Center with the opening of a new facility in 1976, according to previous reporting.
“By reimagining what we’re doing at the Banner McKee campus, that gives us the flexibility to make the other changes we want to make in the coming months and years to increase access to care and expand our services,” he said.
© 2025 Loveland Reporter-Herald, Colo..
Visit www.reporterherald.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
