Photo courtesy of St. Dominic’s
One of Mississippi’s largest hospitals has announced the completion of a major expansion.
St. Dominic’s celebrated the completion of the first phase of the Dominican Sister’s Emergency Department earlier this week. The upgraded, state-of-the-art emergency facility offers the latest technology in a “patient-centered healing environment that is convenient, accessible, private, efficient, and compassionate.”
The first phase includes the addition of approximately 25,000 square feet. The new space contains 20 patient rooms, two trauma rooms, an exam room (for more minor issues), five behavioral health rooms, a more efficient pod-style layout, localized waiting areas and in-unit imaging services that are critical to rapid response emergency care.
“Moving into this space designed uniquely to meet current and future capacity needs means that we will finally have an environment of care that matches the quality and passion of the individuals serving in it” Dan Woods, Director of Nursing, Emergency Department, said. “This new care environment is such a visible and exciting manifestation of our ministry’s long-term commitment to continual growth and adaptation. I am grateful for and inspired by all the collaboration and hard work that has come together to make this first phase a reality.”
The initial phase also includes external improvements such as separate entrances for the public and for ambulances, additional parking, and an emergency specific traffic lane. The ambulance entrance parking area now has room for up to 12 ambulances, a four-fold increase.
With the first phase now complete, all emergency department operations transferred to the new space on June 17th, 2021, and the second phase construction has begun.
In the second phase, the existing emergency department, which consists of just over 11,000 square feet, is being renovated to match the flow and design of the just-completed new space. Upon completion, this renovated space will add 16 more patient rooms, an additional exam room and will have the same workflow enhancements that are present in the expansion. It is anticipated that phase two will be completed in the summer of 2022.
