St. Luke's Elmore Medical Center in Mountain Home, Idaho recently completed a $6 million emergency department expansion to meet the growing needs of the rural community.
The expanded ED, which opened to patients Tuesday, is approximately five times its original size. The number of beds increased from four to 10, which will allow the hospital to treat 14,000 ER patients annually.
Upgrades include a new front entrance and a direct-access enclosed ambulance bay, two new trauma bays, a security room and new infrastructure to support EHRs. The hospital also dedicated physicians and nurses who are specially trained for crisis care.
The 25-bed hospital provides the only 24/7 ED for 29,000 people throughout Elmore County, Idaho, with the nearest hospital 40 miles away.
"Our community is changing," said Michael Blauer, St. Luke's Elmore administrator. "As care evolves and our community grows, we have a responsibility to ensure a new level of quality care."