Great Falls, Mont.-based Benefis Health System started construction Monday on a $12.5 million emergency department expansion, according to a local news report from ABC-Fox affiliate KFBB. However, the health system is still fundraising for the effort.
"The fact is you or someone you know will eventually need the services provided by the Benefis Emergency Department, and you won't want to have to wait several hours or get stuck in a hallway until a room opens up," the fundraising page on the health system foundation's website reads.
The system's current ED dates back to 1998. Since its opening, patient volume has grown to roughly 34,000 patients annually, which has led to overcrowding and long wait times, according to the Benefis Foundation.
"After touring the department, it came to light that it is a very crowded place," Mary Beth Ewen, co-chair of the Benefis Foundation Board of Directors' ED campaign, said in a statement. "I think a lot of people are not aware that they are seeing 10,000 more patients each year than when the current department was built. They are doing a good job with what they have, but they really need more space and more state of the art equipment."
The board pledged to raise $2.5 million of the total $12.5 million project cost. Employees have donated or pledged to donate $400,000 of that total, according to the foundation.
The new ED will nearly double the number of patient rooms and increase their size. The additional rooms include two pediatric rooms, two multi-purpose rooms, three trauma/resuscitation rooms, a two-room behavioral health suite and a two-room suite for sexual assault patients.
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