Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage has proposed to build two 24-hour stand-alone emergency departments to meet the increased need for ED beds, according to a KTUU report.
Under the proposal, both the EDs would be located in Anchorage communities, one in South Anchorage and the other in Eagle River, allowing the hospital to provide emergency services closer to patients' homes.
Both freestanding EDs would include the same equipment as the hospital's current ED, CEO Julie Taylor, RN, MSN, told KTUU.
Alaska Regional submitted a certificate of need to the state but it isn't the only hospital in Anchorage looking to expand; Providence Hospital also submitted a certificate of need, proposing to build 14 EDs on its campus, 10 of which would be for pediatric emergencies.
A decision from the Health Commissioner is expected this spring, according to the report.
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