Elmhurst (Ill.) Memorial Hospital will begin a $600,000 project to expand its emergency department in August, according to the Daily Herald.
The ED was constructed to treat 55,000 patients per year, but 65,405 patients presented to the hospital's ED last year. To help meet the growing demand for emergency care at the facility, cut down on overcrowding and decrease wait times, the hospital will add eight emergency rooms for a total of 39.
Elmhurst Hospital will expand the ED into a neighboring unit known as the centralized admissions area.
The $600,000 project will be financed by the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Foundation. It is expected to be completed by fall of this year.