|
BRMC officials unveil $3.5 million overhaul to emergency department
By KYLE MILLIRON
Era Reporter
kylem@bradfordera.com
Bradford Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Department treats nearly 17,000 patients a year, and now, thanks to a $3.5 million overhaul, those patients can expect improved quality of care, additional privacy and more efficient, streamlined service.
Hospital officials explained these improvements during tours given at an open house Tuesday in the department.
As part of Phase II of BRMC’s $14 million “Building the Future” campus improvement plan, the Emergency Department has doubled in size, up to 8,500-square-feet.
“Though there are always areas where we can improve, we believe in the last three to four months there have been some major improvements (at BRMC),” said Deborah Price, senior vice president of Patient Care Services.
But as the tour of the department progressed, it became apparent that the project was more than a mere facelift. State-of-the-art equipment, specialized treatment areas and process improvements have combined to dramatically decrease patient wait time, Price said.
Theresa Potter, LPN and Emergency Department triage liaison, gave one of the tours. From the onset of the tour, she pointed how flow and patient visualization has been much improved through a centralized nursing station.
An Emergency Department patient’s room, Potter explained, is also outfitted with a Meditech computer system that allows physicians and nurses to access patient medical history instantly, increasing the quality and efficiency of care.
Since the department treats everything from major trauma to earaches, certain rooms have been specialized in order to better assess a patient’s needs.
But the department didn’t just form into what it is today, Price explained. BRMC officials sought input from a variety of sources, including staff members, clergy, social service workers and the community. Potter added that Director of Nursing Diane Irwin played a crucial role in designing the current facility, utilizing elements from hospitals where she had previously worked.
In addition to the ER renovation, the hospital has also implemented process improvements, including signing an agreement with Exigence Group of Williamsville, N.Y., to oversee the management of the Emergency Department.
Exigence, a national health care management organization that specializes in emergency medicine management, has been working with hospital staff since October.
“As (emergency rooms) become more complex and patients become sicker, we needed people with advanced training who understand customer needs,” Price said of Exigence.
Dr. John Radford has been named the Emergency Department’s medical director. Radford, who also works in hospitals in the Buffalo area, said BRMC’s revamped ER provides superior care for its patients, and it’s quality is second to none.
 printer friendly version
 e-mail this story
Reader Comments
There are No comments posted. comments to this story.
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of bradfordera.com.
Submit a Comment
We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.
|
