Jonesboro, La.-based Jackson Parish Hospital has broken ground on an $11 million two-part expansion project.
The first phase of the project will make upgrades to the front of the hospital by updating the patient and vehicle traffic flow, Jason Thomas, PhD, COO and CIO of Jackson Parish Hospital, shared with Becker's in an email. Inside the hospital, the former surgery and business office areas will then be combined into an expanded endoscopy suite, along with parts of a new emergency room area.
Shutting down the existing ER, phase 2 will then move its services into the newly expanded phase 1 space while knocking down the former ER to upgrade and rebuild it. The existing ER and surgery space sit at around 2,500 square feet each. Once complete, the project will allow for a combined 12,000 square feet between the new ER and surgery space.
The new ER will feature eight treatment rooms and two trauma rooms, with additional access to the new surgery space's single trauma room and three treatment areas if needed. A new ambulance bay will also be a part of the project, allowing for four-vehicle pass-through availability, along with ambulance and patient dedicated lanes. A 46-car parking lot will also be included in the project.
"Our hospital has been a sixty-year fixture of the community, but only one major renovation has occurred in that entire history and that was for the inpatient wings," Dr. Thomas told Becker's. "While we've made greater progress in implementing state-of-the-art technology throughout our hospital, this facility renovation will help match the building to modern healthcare requirements as well and provide more space tailored to today's needs with plans for tomorrow's growth."
The project is being funded in part by a $2 million community appropriation project supported by Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La., with the rest coming from the hospital's operating funds. Phase 1 is expected to wrap up in November or December 2024, with phase 2 completing construction in summer 2025, Dr. Thomas said.