The board of trustees of Birmingham, Ala.-based UAB Hospital approved a $73 million expansion project to meet an increase in demand, the Birmingham Business Journal reported April 19.
The project will add 11,000 square feet and 59 exam rooms to the hospital. Construction is expected to begin in April 2024.
"Over the past five years the emergency department has experienced a 20 percent increase in volume with 25 percent of the patients now requiring admission to the hospital," Michael Rodgers, assistant vice chancellor for construction management, said during the board of trustees meeting, according to the Business Journal. "During the COVID-19 national and public health emergencies, the hospital was allowed to make temporary use of alternative space to accommodate increased clinical demand due to the suspension of certain regulatory requirements."