Dr. Tom King treats a patient in Elmhurst Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED), which will soon begin a $600,000 project to expand the size of the unit from 31 to 39 rooms to accommodate a large increase in the number of patients over the last five years.
Elmhurst Hospital is beginning a renovation and expansion project that will increase the size of its Emergency Department (ED) from 31 to 39 rooms. The new rooms will be built in what is currently the Centralized Admissions Area, a unit adjacent to the ED. Construction will start in August and is targeted for completion in the fall.
The additional rooms are needed because of a dramatic increase in the number of patients seeking treatment in the ED. In calendar year (CY) 2012, its first full year of operation following the opening of the new Elmhurst Hospital in 2011, the ED had 51,190 patient visits. In CY 2016, 65,405 patients were treated in the ED, a 28 percent increase over 2012. The ED was originally designed to handle an annual volume of 55,000 patients.
“The surge in volume has resulted in overcrowding and an increase in wait times,” says Adam Johnson, Service Line Director, Emergency Medicine & Urgent Care Services, Elmhurst Hospital. “It became very apparent that we needed more space to handle the number of patients coming through the ED.”
The $600,000 project is funded by the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital (EMH) Foundation.
“The Emergency Department is one area of the hospital we’ll all likely visit at one time or another, either as a patient or with a loved one who needs treatment,” says Susan Tyburski, Executive Director, EMH Foundation. “We’re thankful to the many donors who’ve made this expansion possible.”
The Foundation’s efforts to support the ED expansion are part of ongoing efforts to raise funds to address other critical space and program needs at Elmhurst Hospital, including Critical Care and Inpatient Units, which are nearing or at full capacity on many days, as well as expansion of Behavioral Health Services and preventive programs at the Diabetes Learning Center.
“We’ve experienced a tremendous increase in demand for services in many areas of the hospital and our projections show the growth will continue,” says Pamela Dunley, President & CEO, Elmhurst Hospital. “We are looking to partner with members of our community to help address our space needs. Contributions to the Foundation are critical so we can continue providing the quality of care our residents deserve.”
For more information about Elmhurst Hospital’s emergency care, visit www.eehealth.org/services/emergency.
Founded in 1980, the EMH Foundation offers many giving opportunities and annual special events designed to support the hospital’s programs and facilities. For more information, visit www.EMHFoundation.org or call (331) 221-0388.
