Vermont Business Magazine After seven months of construction, Rutland Regional Medical Center has completed phase I and has begun work on phase II of what is to be an expected 18-month long construction and renovation project involving the hospital’s Emergency Department. The first phase, which was completed just last week, involved the creation of 1,840 square-feet of new construction and partial renovation of the existing 13,657 square-foot area of the Emergency Department. This new construction resulted in five brand new mental health/medical exam rooms. Phase II involves the closure of the existing Emergency Department main entrance area and temporarily shifting the entrance to the southeast corner of the hospital. Work began Monday, August 22 and is expected to last approximately six months with a completion goal of February 2017.
“The area in and around the Emergency Department entrance is clearly marked for patients needing access,” said Mary Nemeth, Vice President of Corporate Support Services at Rutland Regional. “We have signage and wayfinding at key points as well as an awning indicating the location of the temporary entrance. Parking will not be affected.”
It is important to note that access to the main hospital areas, including the food court, will not be available via the Emergency Department during this construction phase. People may access other areas of the hospital, including the food court, through the Stratton Road and Allen Street entrances.
The renovated and reconfigured entrance is part of a multi-month construction project that began in February of this year. The main challenge to this project was completing the renovations in a space that was used 24 hours a day and do so without interrupting patient care and staff productivity in the process.
“From the beginning we committed ourselves to ensuring that every patient received the very best care from the entire emergency department team, regardless of the construction”, said Todd Gregory, MD, Medical Director of Emergency Services. “The construction crew has been incredibly gracious and caring for the needs of this department and our patients and that has led to our ability to continue to provide top quality emergency medicine to members of our community.”
The changes being made to the Emergency Department over the course of the 18-month long construction schedule were designed with input from the hospital’s Emergency Department staff. The changes will improve efficiency, patient privacy, patient transportation, work flow and ease of collaboration among care team members. When phase II is complete the number of exam rooms will increase to 26 from the current 19.
“We are pleased with the pace of these improvements and especially proud of what this means to our patients and broader community members who rely on a top notch Emergency Department”, said Tom Huebner, CEO and President of Rutland Regional Medical Center.
About the Emergency Department at Rutland Regional Medical Center
The Emergency Department (ED) at Rutland Regional Medical Center provides care to patients with urgent medical conditions ranging from complex problems such as heart attacks and strokes to simple, but pressing conditions such as cuts and broken bones. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Rutland Regional’s expert team of board-certified emergency physicians and specially trained emergency nurses provide comprehensive, compassionate, high-quality urgent medical care to more than 33,800 patients of all ages.
Patients who arrive by ambulance immediately enter the unit through a special entrance. Those brought in by loved ones or who arrive on their own are evaluated by an experienced triage nurse whose primarily responsibility is to manage the flow of care, ensuring that those with serious conditions receive immediate treatment. To alleviate wait times for patients with less acute illnesses or injuries, the Fast Track treatment area delivers care quickly and effectively.
When sophisticated Laboratory and Diagnostic Imaging services like CT scan and MRI are needed, the process is seamless. For patients that need to be admitted, bedside registration makes the transition smooth and as comfortable as possible. For those who have experienced a severe trauma or need complex emergency surgery, Rutland Regional provides skilled urgent care to stabilize the patient’s condition before assisting with transfer to the appropriate facility.
About Rutland Regional Medical Center
Rutland Regional Medical Center is the second largest healthcare facility in Vermont with a national reputation for outstanding patient care, nursing excellence and innovation. US News & World Report has recognized Rutland Regional as High Performing in three specialty areas including: Care for Heart Failure, COPD, and Hip Replacement. Healthgrades® named Rutland Regional among the top 10% in the Nation for Outstanding Patient Experience and Patient Safety, along with “high performing” designations for its clinical performance in Pacemaker Procedures, Prostate Surgery and Total Knee Replacement. As one of the safest hospitals in the nation, Rutland Regional was honored with an ‘A’ grade by The Leapfrog Groupin the Spring 2016 Hospital Safety Score. Recently designated for a second time, Rutland Regional is a Magnet® hospital, providing the highest level of recognition for quality nursing care and received the Center of Blue Distinction designation for Maternity Care from Blue Cross and Blue Shield. For more information visit us on the web at www.RRMC.org