At Kaleida Health’s suburban jewel Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital ground was broken on a $27 million expansion and renovation of its Emergency Department. Kaleida leaders announced details at the groundbreaking ceremonies with about 150 guests and dignitaries in attendance. Several business, community and hospital leaders, as well as a former patient, donned hard hats and grabbed shovels to get the project started.

The new, larger and better-equipped Emergency Department will include:

• 38 examination rooms including
• 1 trauma room
• 3 suture rooms
• 2 decontamination rooms
• 2 dedicated X-ray rooms
• 1 CAT scan room
• 3 waiting rooms for family and friends
• new external approach for patients and ambulances

Located on the north side of the hospital, a total of 60,000 square feet will be included in the two-story addition, of which 38,000 square feet will be occupied by the Emergency Department on the second level, which is actually the first floor. Plans are still being completed for use of the lower level.

Included in the 38 new Emergency Department treatment spaces will be eight for “fast track” patients. The fast track spaces are designated for emergencies that take less time to treat - everyday lumps and bumps that bring many people to the Emergency Department.

The radiology room will provide physicians and staff instant access to radiology services. A new external approach will make it easier for patients and ambulances to access the Emergency department. Today, hospitals must be equipped to handle more than just medical emergencies. Suburban Hospital will be prepared for possible chemical, nuclear or biological events by adding two decontamination rooms in the ER.

“The Emergency Department is critical in terms of keeping pace with our growing population,” said Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital President Walter Ludwig. “The new space allows us to maximize efficiencies and bring in equipment to more quickly address patient problems.”

Dr. Dan Morelli, Suburban Hospital’s Chief Medical Officer, described some of the new areas. A 300 square-foot trauma room equipped to handle the most acute cases is included. Set up like a miniature operating room, the trauma room provides state-of-the-art equipment and is one of the key treatment spaces in the Emergency Room. Two of the new exam rooms will be outfitted specifically to deal with obstetrics/gynecology patients. Seven of the exam rooms will be constructed as negative pressure rooms so that they can accommodate patients with airborne diseases such as tuberculosis or SARS.

Adjacent to the “fast-track” area will be three suture rooms. To streamline diagnostic processes, the Emergency Room will have two dedicated x-ray rooms and its own computer- aided tomography (CATT) scan rooms. Three spacious waiting rooms will be dedicated for use by family members and loved ones.

Funding for the new Emergency Department and other future projects in the new space will come primarily through the Kaleida Health Foundation, private donations, grants, and other sources.

The Hospital opened its doors on August 1974, fulfilling the dream of community members and leaders to have a full-service hospital for residents of Amherst, Clarence and the Tonawandas. In the nearly 30 years since the hospital was built, the population in the Northtowns has increased by 18 percent, necessitating hospital expansion.

To meet the growing needs of its community, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital needed expand. In 2002, nearly 40,000 patients used its services – 10,000 more than the current design comfortably accommodates. The Hospital Emergency Room treats an average of 105 patients per day. In the summer, they see even more – up to 130 – with children home from school and summer tasks like mowing the lawn adding to the risk of injury. The Emergency Room is equipped to handle any patient who comes through the doors, from heart attack and stroke victims to broken bones and lacerations. Once completed, the ER renovation will be able accommodate more than 45,000 visits annually.

Kaleida retained Cannon Design as the architect, M/E Engineering of Buffalo as the mechanical engineer and Ciminelli Cowper Co. as the construction manager

Contact: Paul Kenjarski
(716) 568-6700
(716) 369-0316 – pager