The request for a Certificate of Need for the project was approved by the Georgia Department of Community Health’s Division of Health Planning. The project includes all activities related to the expansion, renovation and equipment acquisition, including acquisition of a computerized tomography (CT) scanner dedicated to the Emergency Department. The scanner produces a detailed computer image showing the structural parts of the area being examined.

 

“We are excited about this opportunity to expand the emergency services we offer to the region,” said Dr. Andrew Williams, medical director of Emergency Services at The Medical Center. “The expanded space and additional treatment rooms will enable us to enhance the care we provide to our patients and will position us to meet the needs of our growing community.”

 

The existing Emergency Department has 34 treatment bays in 14,500 square feet of space. The new Emergency Department will house 46 patient treatment rooms, including 12 “fast-track” rooms for rapid medical evaluation, 28 general treatment rooms and six trauma rooms. The new facility will involve both new and renovated space and will be located on the northeast corner of the existing facility, adjacent to and encompassing the existing Emergency Department.

 

The Emergency Department has operated in its current location for approximately 25 years. While there have been two expansions during that time, growing use of the facility makes this expansion necessary to accommodate current volume and anticipated growth.

 

The Medical Center serves four Georgia counties in its primary and secondary service areas of Muscogee, Harris, Talbot and Marion counties and an additional nine counties in southwest Georgia in its role as a Level II trauma center. It is the only trauma center in southwest Georgia and one of only 15 in Georgia. The Emergency Department also serves parts of east Alabama.  

 

Approximately 40 percent of admissions to The Medical Center originate in the Emergency Department. The Medical Center recorded 52,593 emergency visits in Fiscal Year 2009 (July 2008-June 2009). Of those, 1,002 were classified as trauma.  

 

“The number of admissions from the Emergency Department to the hospital has continued to increase,” Williams said. “This indicates patients are coming to the Emergency Department with more severe conditions than in the past. They typically require longer treatment time for stabilization and increased use of resources within the Emergency Department before they can be transferred to a patient floor.” The new Emergency Department will better accommodate these patients and others, he added.

 

Construction should be completed by late summer 2011.