When Doylestown Hospital breaks ground this spring for a new Emergency Department (ED), we’ll be building for a community far different from the one we served in 1991, when the last renovation of the ED occurred. At that time, 17 beds in the ED comfortably served an average of 65 patients a day. But times…and our community … have changed. “Today, we see an average of 110 patients each day – or almost 40,000 patients a year, including 8,000 children,” says Robert Linkenheimer, DO, Medical Director of the Doylestown Hospital Emergency Department. And according to Doylestown Hospital Chief Operating Officer James Brownlow, ED usage is growing by 4 percent annually.

“The growth of our community – and the nature of that growth – is the main reason for the dramatic increase in the use of our ED services,” says AnnMarie Papa, MSN, RN, CEN, FAEN, Director of Emergency Services at Doylestown Hospital. There are more schools, more residents age 55+, andmore assisted living facilities in the area than there were even 10 years ago. “We are here for the community,” says Papa, “and the community wants and deserves a first-rate facility that can meet their emergency medical needs.”

Comfort, privacy and security

The new ED, which is targeted for completion 20-24 months after ground is broken, will occupy the first floor of a 55,000-square-foot addition to the front of the hospital. It will feature 40 beds, each in a private, room-like “bay” with a private bathroom. “We like to have family members stay in the treatment area with their loved one,” says Papa, “and the new ED will make this more feasible and more comfortable.”

In addition to personal comfort, the design of the new facility addresses some very important community needs, some of which could not have been anticipated just a few years ago. “By increasing capacity, we’re also increasing access to quality emergency care,” says Eleanor Wilson, RN, MSN, MHA, Vice President of Patient Services at Doylestown Hospital. “The private accommodations help to prevent the spread of infection. And the overall design of the new ED provides increased security and facilitates disaster preparedness.”

“It’s all about the patient”

Although the space limitations of the current ED have been cited in patient surveys as an area for improvement, patients have consistently given high marks to the actual care they receive. That’s a function of the skill of the ED staff, to be sure, but it’s also a result of a compelling philosophy of care. “Emergency care is all about the patient,” says Dr. Linkenheimer. “Patients entering the ED are at their most vulnerable, and they put their trust in us – people they’ve nevermet before – to do the right thing for them.” “We consider it a privilege to be entrusted with their care,” concurs Papa, “and we never forget that we need to be worthy of that trust.” And that’s one thing that will never change.