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Delivering the Best ER
Written By: Jenny King | Issue: 2017/04 - April
The new Emergency Department at the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital is nearing completion and is expected to open in May.
As the excitement builds, the staff anxiously await their new home. Cindy Pierson, Interim CNO for the hospital, is proud to report she’s been involved in the planning since June 2015.
“I, along with other clinical team members, have had input regarding layout of patient rooms, team work spaces, and supply areas,” she says. She’s also been involved with decisions on new equipment for Emergency Department patient rooms. The staff was asked to provide clinical input regarding the design of specialty rooms (a Safe Room for behavioral health patients, isolation room, etc.) that will make the new space better for patients and staff that will be working there.
The ED will have all private rooms that will allow for patient privacy. Every room will now have cardiac monitors. Each room will have computer stations to allow for bedside charting by nurses. There will be new “specialty rooms” that will allow for specialized care for certain patient populations, including a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examination) Room for victims of sexual assault and a Safe Room with special modifications to monitor and treat behavioral health patients who may be at risk for harming themselves or others.
“Additionally, we will have a decontamination room for any patients that may have been exposed to hazardous materials,” says Pierson.
Why should Highlands-Cashiers Hospital and Mission Health invest in a new ED?
As Pierson explains, “The strategy for success for rural hospitals is built upon three bases: strong primary care; great diagnostics; and great emergency department services. By investing in a new ED here at HCH, we’re able to provide excellent care in a more efficient manner. The new space will allow us to better manage patient flow, provide improved patient privacy, and support ongoing quality care and treatment of our patients when they require services of our ED.”
With the expected “go live” date fast approaching, stay tuned for news about tours to see how Highlands-Cashiers Hospital is growing and changing to meet the needs of our community.
