Newman Regional Health’s new emergency department is now open to the public.
Hospital CEO Bob Wright tells KVOE News the new facility opened up shortly after 10 pm Monday after equipment, staff and patients were moved from the old emergency room.
Besides tripling the space and doubling the number of emergency beds from the old facility, the new $15 million emergency department also brings in the latest technology — and, Wright says, it sets the stage for more technology advances in the future.
Wright says the transition from old to new was “a really proud moment,” with everything working as designed once the new emergency department came online Monday night. He credited department staff, the facilities department and managers for the smooth transition.
Facilities Director Harold Blits says there was one weather-related hurdle early last year, but aside from that everything went well during construction.
The move closes the old emergency department until interior construction begins in the next year or two to bring physical therapy services across the street from an office building at 12th and Chestnut.
Meanwhile, there are more components to add to the new emergency complex this month. The existing Clinical Decision Unit, also known as patient observation, comes downstairs next week, followed shortly thereafter by a new cath lab holding area.
