University Hospital Expansion – Let the ED Opening Countdown Begin!

7.19.2019

University Hospital Expansion – Let the ED Opening Countdown Begin!

What a difference four years can make! Right before our eyes, the University Hospital Expansion (UHE) project has risen from a literal hole in the ground to a glistening wonder. The expanded, state-of-the art Emergency Department is nearing completion and scheduled to treat its first patient on Oct. 15.

As the clock ticks down to the new ED opening, curiosity about the entire UHE project has been mounting. Swirling around are questions like, what does the interior look like? How different will it be for patients? How different will it be for team members? In addition to the ED, what groups will occupy the new space? How did the project come together behind the scenes?

Good news: In the coming weeks, Connect will be posting a series of sneak previews of the new ED and other project details. For starters, below is a concise overview of the project.

PROJECT AT A GLANCE

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

First patient: October 15, 2019

Capacity:

Square footage: Increasing from 15,000 to 45,000 – three times the size!
Bed count: Increasing from 45 (plus 18 hallway beds) to 80
2018 Patient Visits: 64,780 (demand often exceeded capacity)

Notable Features:

All private rooms
Dedicated space for mental health services
Separate space for pediatric and adult patients
TVs, seating, tables, and charging stations in the waiting room
Clinical decision-making unit to assess whether patients should be admitted, observed, or discharged (This unit is expected to open in fall 2020 in the current ED space)