News
St. Andrew's Health Center to renovate its emergency room
Scott Wagar
08/27/2013
St. Andrew’s Health Center has received approval from the North Dakota Department of Health to proceed with renovating the health center’s ER.
The renovations will include making the ER larger in size due to the increase in the number of cases St. Andrew’s has seen due to oil impact.
“We have seen a 33 percent increase in ER service use since 2010. KX13 News, released a statement on Sept. 17, 2012, which focused on the large increase in oil activity that will reach a pinnacle of around 2,000-2,500 wells being drilled in Bottineau County. The drilling is slated to begin in 2014,” said Jodi Atkinson, president and CEO of St. Andrew’s Health Center.
“St. Andrew’s Health Center is already seeing patient spillover due to oil impact, which is referenced on an oil impact map provided in a study that was completed by Himle, Rapp and Company titled “Pushing the Limits, The Impact of the Oil Boom in Healthcare in Western North Dakota,” she added.
“By increasing our current bed situation from two beds to four beds, we will be able to accommodate patients who utilize our services. On multiple occasions our medical staff providers have had to manage three to five patients at one time by utilizing space in our extended ER,” Atkinson continued.
“Having increased space to accommodate the ER volume increase and going from two beds to four beds will improve the health of our patients, by giving them easier access to an available bed in the case of an emergency,” Atkinson said.
“With the increased demand in ER use, having increased access for patients to be seen on an available bed will affect all patients presenting to the ER. St. Andrew’s Health Center will ultimately have the capacity to accommodate patients seeking emergency services, by increasing the space to accommodate more beds and equipment currently offered,” she added.
The health center’s ER after being renovated will be a state-of-the-art emergency room.
“The current renovation plan is to update the existing ER space and then expand it back into the Chapel and Rural Mental Health Consortium areas to accommodate the extra two beds,” Atkinson said.
“The Chapel will be moved upstairs and the Rural Mental Health Consortium will be relocated into available office space.
“The plan design calls for beds to be located up against the wall and medical equipment will be fixed to the wall for each bed,” Atkinson continued.
“A curtain will still separate each bed and this is due to infection control recommendations. We will have the eCare systems located in this area as well. We will have a handwashing station, ePharmacy system (first-dose administration system), and wall cabinets along the walls directly across from the beds. There will be a separate linen room, cleaning supply room, physician dictation room and larger bathroom that meets the ADA code. The new ER will also have a separate entrance and exit, which will help the patient transfer flow.
“We received $14,000 in grant funding from St. Joseph’s Foundation, which was utilized to purchase some new equipment,” Atkinson added.
“I anticipate we will be applying for more grant funding to update the equipment. We have also budgeted in the 2013-14 budget to update some of the equipment.”
Atkinson stated that some of the new equipment for the 2013-14 budget will include new trauma stretchers and equipment which will be utilized to assist in the patient’s care.
The renovation cost for the new ER is estimated at $225,000 to $250,000. To pay for the project, St. Andrew’s is planning a capitol campaign as well as write grants.
Atkinson is pleased with the state health department’s approval of its ER project.
“We are looking forward to the renovation project for our emergency room,” she said. “With the increase demand in the emergency room, we will have the space to meet the medical needs of our patients.”
St. Andrew’s plans to release bids for the renovation projects at the end of September or early October, with the project starting in the middle of November.