In the coming weeks, Emanuel Medical Center will break ground on its Emergency Department expansion and redesign. During this construction period, patients and visitors will experience changes in the locations of the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Emergency Department. Despite the temporary relocations, both ICU and the Emergency Department will remain fully functional throughout construction.
Starting Tuesday, September 3rd, the ICU will be relocated to the second floor of the hospital. To visit a loved one in ICU during this time, visitors will proceed to the second floor via the hospital’s main elevator and follow the signs to the unit. The Emergency Department will then transition to the area where ICU was previously housed. This transition is expected to be completed no later than September 10th.
These temporary changes are expected to be in place for approximately 9 months to make way for construction on the Emergency Department. It is important to note that the entrance to the Emergency Department will change during this time as well.
Parking for the ER will be located behind the hospital and can be accessed from West Church Street. Signs will direct drivers to the correct entrance and parking area. A covered ramp will lead patients to the entrance for the Emergency Department. Once inside the hospital, visitors and patients will find signs to guide them to the ER.
“While these changes bring with them a temporary inconvenience, they are essential in our mission of providing our community with the highest quality of care. We appreciate the understanding and support of the community as we start this project, and we look forward to serving our patients in our redesigned Emergency Department very soon,” said Mary Radford, Emanuel Medical Center Chief Nursing Officer.
With advancements in medical practices and the growing expertise of EMC’s medical staff, coupled with the achievement of a level four trauma designation, the Emergency Department is now treating patients with more complex needs than when it was originally built. This redesign will provide essential facility improvements, ensuring that staff can continue to deliver exceptional care to the community well into the future.
When complete, EMC’s expanded Emergency Department will feature additional patient rooms, a lower acuity treatment area, and dedicated rooms for behavioral health patients. The space will also be redesigned to improve efficiency with the goal of reducing the amount of time patients spend waiting to be seen and improving their experience in the ER.
“To the county of Emanuel and surrounding municipalities we would like to thank you all for your continued support and patronage. We now would like to ask that you pardon our progress during this much needed renovation to our current emergency department. In addition to seeing physical changes in the appearance we wanted to let the public know that this expansion and renovation is important for providing the best care possible to our community. With any changes made to our facility, our primary concern is patient-centered care. The goal of this project is to improve efficiency and patient flow by changing the design of the Emergency Department workspace and patient care areas. This project is intended to result in decreased wait times and length of stays. Patient satisfaction is a priority, as we work to always provide exceptional care to our community. We strive for excellence,“ said Brooke J. Marsh, BSN, RN, Emergency Department and Trauma Program Manager.
Construction on the Emergency Department is scheduled to begin mid-September. Signs will be posted throughout the hospital to direct patients and visitors to their destinations. The hospital will continue to offer all current services throughout the construction period. For more information and to track the project’s progress, visit emanuelmedical.org or follow Emanuel Medical Center on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
