By Mike Welborn
I am proud to be a Scottsdale resident and to serve as Chair of the HonorHealth Board of Directors. Nearly twenty years ago, I joined the Scottsdale Healthcare Board, and since then have taken seriously the responsibility of safeguarding our community’s health and well-being while ensuring every patient receives timely, high-quality care. HonorHealth has upheld this commitment for more than 60 years in Scottsdale, and Mayo Clinic has likewise played a vital role in delivering exceptional healthcare to the Northeast Valley.
Yet for several years, we have watched Banner Health advocate for rezoning land they purchased—land that does not currently allow for a hospital use—despite clear evidence that Scottsdale’s hospital needs are already being met.
The reality is that Scottsdale is fortunate to have outstanding hospitals and healthcare providers. By nearly every objective measure, we enjoy access to some of the best healthcare options in Arizona. HonorHealth and Mayo Clinic have long delivered comprehensive services with top-tier quality ratings. HonorHealth’s Thompson Peak Medical Center—just three miles from the proposed Banner site—already has an expansion planned, including new beds and operating rooms, to responsibly meet future demand without any need for rezoning.
In fact, Scottsdale already has three hospitals and one of the highest concentrations of hospital beds per 1,000 residents in Arizona—second only to Sun City and Sun City West. This means residents and visitors are well-served, and do not face the access challenges or lack of hospital services that justify new hospital construction in other parts of the Valley.
At first glance, adding another hospital might seem positive: more access, more choices, and increased competition. But with hospitals, the proof is in the patient outcomes—and more is not always better. When too many hospitals compete for the same limited pool of physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals, resources become fragmented. This can lead to higher costs and, ultimately, diminished quality and consistency of care. The Scottsdale Firefighters Association has raised similar concerns, emphasizing that oversaturation does not improve patient outcomes and can even compromise service availability to the local community.
Emergency departments illustrate this challenge clearly. Emergency department throughput—the time it takes for patients to be seen, treated, and admitted or discharged—is a critical measure of patient safety. In areas where hospitals cluster too closely, throughput times tend to rise. For example, in downtown Phoenix, where three hospitals operate within a short radius, the median emergency department throughput time at Banner University Medical Center in 2024 was 284 minutes, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. By comparison, HonorHealth’s Scottsdale medical centers averaged 186 minutes during the same period. These differences matter, especially in emergencies where every minute counts.
Beyond healthcare concerns, the proposed rezoning raises serious safety and infrastructure issues. The site is near Scottsdale Airport, and the proposed hospital would include helipads. Increased helicopter traffic in an already busy airspace could create dangerous conflicts with existing airport operations. The Scottsdale Airport Advisory Commission recently voted 5–1 against the rezoning, citing these public safety risks.
Scottsdale residents have also voiced concerns about traffic congestion resulting from the proposed rezoning. The area near Hayden Road and Loop 101 is already experiencing significant development, and adding a 300-bed hospital would only increase strain on local roads and infrastructure. These challenges are especially troubling given that objective measures clearly demonstrate that the hospital is not needed to meet the inpatient needs for current and future Scottsdale residents.
Scottsdale deserves a comprehensive healthcare system that continues to prioritize quality, safety, and collaboration—the very principles HonorHealth has practiced for more than six decades, and which have made our current system a model for the Valley. Our healthcare and EMS network is widely regarded as one of the best, and that is an achievement worth protecting. Rather than creating another divisive community debate, let us focus on preserving what works.
The only party advocating for a rule change to allow an additional, unnecessary hospital is Banner Health. While we respect their business interests and the significant role they play in serving healthcare needs across multiple states, in this instance, the proposal serves their insurance objectives—not the hospital needs of our community.