The second of five renovation phases to the ER at the Chinook Regional Hospital is now complete

Lethbridge – Starting tomorrow, patients visiting the emergency at the Chinook Regional Hospital will be treated in brand new rooms.

“We have not has any renovations to our emergency department since we opened in 1988, so it’s really nice to have the modern conveniences that we have here,” says Diane Shanks, Director of Emergency and Critical Care Chinook Regional Hospital.

Phase two is a $9-million project that includes six new individual treatment rooms and a large workstation for staff and physicians.

“This is the first opportunity I have had to be in something this nice and with patient care spaces that are so individualized and I think it’s a big plus,” says Dr. Jack Regehr, Chief of Emergency. “There will be some disruptions to treatment space, and noise, but our physicians, staff and volunteers are working tirelessly to provide high-quality care while keeping those disruptions to a minimum.”

Phase one was completed last October. It included a larger treatment room for trauma patients, four smaller acute rooms and two secure psychiatry treatment rooms. The third phase will begin in April and will take about six months to complete. The five-phase project will increase the current emergency department floor space by approximately 30 per cent .

The emergency department renovation is part of an overall $135-million redevelopment project. It includes construction of a new five-storey wing that will expand acute and ambulatory care, outpatient clinics, respiratory therapy, pre-operative assessment, and labour and delivery. The entire project is scheduled to be completed in 2017.

“The final emergency department when all is said and done will have increased treatment areas. We also have designed it that we have 2 areas that we can move patients through department easier,” adds Shank.