Construction Begins
Hospital kicks off ER expansion
The Inter-Mountain photo by Beth Henry-Vance Vance Jackson, Davis Health System chief executive officer, speaks Tuesday at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Emergency Room at Davis Medical Center, which is part of a multi-year campaign. Also shown are Mike Bell, center, director of the Davis Health System Foundation, and Hugh Hitchcock, right, president of the Davis Health System Foundation Board of Directors.
The Inter-Mountain photo by Beth Henry-Vance Delegate William Hartman, chairperson of the Davis Health System Board, from left; Hugh Hitchcock, president of the Davis Health System Foundation Board of Directors; and Vance Jackson, Davis Health System chief executive officer, swing sledgehammers Tuesday during a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Emergency Room at Davis Medical Center.
The Inter-Mountain photo by Beth Henry-Vance Vance Jackson, Davis Health System chief executive officer, speaks Tuesday at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Emergency Room at Davis Medical Center, which is part of a multi-year campaign. Also shown are Mike Bell, center, director of the Davis Health System Foundation, and Hugh Hitchcock, right, president of the Davis Health System Foundation Board of Directors.
The Inter-Mountain photo by Beth Henry-Vance Delegate William Hartman, chairperson of the Davis Health System Board, from left; Hugh Hitchcock, president of the Davis Health System Foundation Board of Directors; and Vance Jackson, Davis Health System chief executive officer, swing sledgehammers Tuesday during a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Emergency Room at Davis Medical Center.
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ELKINS -- Instead of ceremonial groundbreaking shovels, leaders from Davis Medical Center used sledgehammers Tuesday to mark the start of construction on a new state-of-the art emergency room.
The new emergency department will be larger, and it is designed to improve patient experiences and overall wellbeing from the time they enter through triage and registration, through to their diagnosis and care, said Vance Jackson, Davis Health System chief executive officer.
DMC's emergency room renovation and expansion is expected to cost $2.5 million, Jackson said, with $500,000 being provided by the hospital and the other $2 million coming from a fundraising campaign called "Transforming Care TogethER."
Jackson said a great deal of planning and thought went into the project already, with the whole goal to get patients cared for as quickly and efficiently as possible.
"We're excited that it's finally here," he said of the groundbreaking ceremony. "It's going to be a little messy during construction … that part we're not excited about."
Jackson said a lot of the construction work will take place at night, when the ER is less crowded and the work will be less disruptive. He noted half the ER will remain in operation, and it might be challenging at times for staff, patients and guests.
However, once the 18-month project is complete, the renovation and expansion will include 24 private rooms, two trauma bays for critical care, shorter wait times through a "Fast Track" protocol and a new waiting area and meditation room.
Tim Thorpe, nurse manager of the Emergency Department, said the construction phase will be busy, but it will be worth it in the end.
"It's going to be a nice facility that we'll bring to the community once construction is done," Thorpe said, noting the current ER has been in use for more than 20 years.
Mike Bell, director of the Davis Health System Foundation, said the fundraising campaign for the new ER has a great deal of momentum, with approximately $1.4 million already raised toward the $2 million goal.
"Gifts and pledges are still welcome and needed," Bell said, noting during Tuesday's ceremony and reception that there were so many people to thank for their support already that he couldn't list them all.
However, he said employees themselves made contributions and helped get the campaign off to a great start.
Bell also mentioned Steve Johnson, director of facilities for DMC, who put in a great deal of time and effort into the planning stages of the project.
The DMC Emergency Department sees more than 30,000 visits each year, with 96 percent of patients treated without being transferred to another facility, according to data from the hospital.
More information about Davis Health System is available online at www.davishealthsystem.org or by calling 304-636-3300.