La Grange Hospital Unveils New Emergency Department

The Amita Health Adventist Medical Center in La Grange has unveiled its brand-new emergency department, the Chicago Tribune reported Sept. 26.

While before the $10 million renovation only curtains separated emergency room patients, now each visitor to the hospital will be able to enjoy privacy, as each and every one of the department’s 24 rooms — an eight-room increase from the former building — have doors.

Nineteen rooms are assigned to acute care, while five rooms are specially designated as fast-track rooms for patients in the ER for less serious injuries and illnesses.

"The emergency department is the front door to the hospital and it needed to be updated," Geoff Crabb, medical director of the emergency department, told the Tribune.

"Our goal there is to get them in and out quickly," said Crabb, who added that it is expected that the fast track beds also will improve the flow of the department and allow staff to focus on those with more traumatic or serious health issues.
"We have the ability to put patients in rooms and the flow works better," Crabb said.
Brett Skeen, executive director of the La Grange Memorial Hospital Foundation, said the department was in great need of improvement.
"In our case it was a glaring need," he said. "It was one of the few departments that hadn't been updated since we built the bed tower in 2005."

The newly remodeled department also features high ceilings and plenty of light, waiting rooms with entertainment and a new vending room with access to food and drink.

"They listened to us and heard what our needs were," Crabb said.

Above image via Shutterstock.