St. Mary Corwin in Pueblo to serve state as alternative care facility for COVID-19

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Colorado state Unified Command Group has completed leases on three more sites that will be able to serve as alternative care facilities, including St. Mary Corwin Medical Center in Pueblo.

An alternative care facility provides medical care for patients who have stabilized from the COVID-19 within a hospital and no longer requires critical care.

St. Mary Corwin will open up critical bed space if there is a surge in COVID-19 cases in Colorado. It will serve as a medical shelter, not a field hospital.

UCG is working with Colorado Hospital Association, and the US Army Corps of Engineers to repurpose alternative care sites throughout the state. So far there are five alternative care locations within the state of Colorado.

The five sites chosen to serve as alternative care facilities include the following: St. Mary Corwin Medical Center, St. Anthony North in Westminster, Western Slope Memory Care in Grand Junction, Denver Convention Center, and the Larimer County Fairgrounds and Events Complex.

St. Mary Corwin Medical Center's alternative care facility will provide 120 beds, and construction on the facility is set to be complete by May 8.

Alternative care sites like St Mary Corwin's will only accept patients who are being transferred from hospitals and health care facilities. The sites will not be open for members of the public seeking medical care or diagnosis.