Because the emergency department serves over 27,000 patients a year, the new facility meets state guidelines that recommend one room for every 2,000 emergency visits. While reducing waiting times was a principal goal of the expansion, the design team also thought about ways to make people more comfortable while they are waiting. The new waiting area has separate sections arranged to accommodate television watching and group seating for conversation or reading. There also will be a special play area for children, a project funded by a donation from the hospital s auxiliary. Convenient parking and drop-off locations are other features patients and families will appreciate.
Drivers can park in an area specially designated for emergency department patients.
In response to suggestions from area paramedics, the design team added a separate entrance for ambulances on the west side of the building. In the current emergency department, ambulances and walk-in patients have to share the same entrance. The new heated, semi-enclosed ambulance port will accommodate up to eight ambulances simultaneously. Our emergency department is known in the community for staff excellence, says Diane Warburton, emergency department director. All of our emergency physicians are board certified, our nurses all have certifications in several areas of emergency care, and we ve provided special training for the emergency technicians.