Union Hospital: Growing for the Community
An additional 6,800 square feet of existing space, added in 2001, will be incorporated into the new center. Groundbreaking is expected to begin in late August with construction lasting 15 to 18 months.
“The new addition will double the size we have currently,” said Bruce James, president and CEO of Union Hospital. “We know that our volume has increased steadily over the last 25 years and it will continue to grow.”
James said the hospital's board of trustees gave permission to proceed with the project at its April 28 meeting.
“Our current emergency department was built in 1991, designed for 30,000 annual patient visits. Since then, the facility has been remodeled, expanded and remodeled again,” said James. “We have converted every available square foot for patient care, which last year surpassed 45,000 patient visits. Over the next 20 years we project that to reach 60,000 annual patient visits.”
The design of the new emergency center is a result of research and efforts put forth by hospital staff, physicians, board members and architects. “It is always surprising how healthcare changes over a period of time,” said James. “The new facility will have specialty rooms and our hope is we will diminish wait times for people.”
The emergency department currently has 25 care areas. The new emergency center will offer 38 care areas.
“We have been meeting for over a year and helping to set the footprint,” said Dr. Jeffrey Cameron, an emergency physician at Union Hospital since 1990. “When we designed the current department, we thought we would never need another. Not only has our volume continued to increase but also we have lost room in our patient rooms because of technology. We are most looking forward to having increased space. We have been cramped for a long time.”
Cameron predicts that as more people acquire health insurance, patient numbers will increase in the years ahead.
“We have a team of people meeting every week to come up with the optimal design not only for an emergency room in general but for our emergency room, for what we do and how we take care of patients,” said James. “That's important so that when we open it is the best experience for the patient.”
James does not anticipate a need for increased staff at this time. “We always staff based on the number of patients, so what this will do is provide more space for the patient,” said James. “What you'll see is some staffing efficiencies come out of it.”
Financing for the new emergency center is expected to be finalized in about 90 days. “Right now we are in the quiet stage of fundraising,” said Monte Ball, director of fund development at Union Hospital. “As we approach the groundbreaking, the campaign will become more public. We are hoping to get the whole community involved. We know the emergency center touches a lot of lives. We hope to raise a minimum $5 million.” The remainder of the money will be borrowed. “We have very little debt here at the hospital,” said James.
The Union Hospital Auxiliary pledged $300,000 to the emergency center capital campaign, which will be distributed in three annual installments, the first of which has already been received. The auxiliary is seeking new volunteers to assist with current and new fundraising efforts.
The current emergency department will continue to operate until the new construction is completed.
“The emergency department has evolved into the front door of the hospital,” said Cameron. “Historically it was never that way.” According to James, 70 percent of patients admitted to the hospital come through the emergency department.