Victims of a triple car collision are rushed to the hospital. A child falls and breaks her arm. A senior citizen complains of chest pain. Chances are all of them will go to the emergency room (ER) for care. ER visits are at a record high across the country. At INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center, visits to the ER increased more than 35 percent in seven years. An expansion of the ER is now under way to meet the demand.

“The ER was designed for about 35,000 patient visits a year. The expansion will double the size of the current facility, allowing to care for more than 70,000 patients annually,” says Kevin Graves, vice president of operations.

The $21 million expansion will feature several new areas, including the Naifeh Families Chest Pain Center. Patients with chest pain symptoms will go immediately to the center to be evaluated and treated. The ER will also have space for outpatient radiology.

The medical staff already has an idea of what the examining rooms will look like. Construction crews put in place a “mock” unit. It allows the medical staff to help with the design of the space and placement of equipment.

“This project is unique because doctors, nurses and other ER staff play a major role in the process. Their input is used to explain to architects and planners what will help them to be more productive and efficient. They will be the people using this space and will spend a great deal of time here. The ER should be functional and comfortable for them. The best way to accomplish this is to incorporate their ideas,” says Bruce Lawrence, COO.

In the expansion plans, a new canopied area for ambulances will be moved to the north side of the ER. Currently, ambulances must enter and unload patients one at a time. The new canopy will allow four ambulances to simultaneously load and unload patients.

The ER continues to operate business seamlessly while construction crews work. The expansion is set to be complete October 2006.

INTEGRIS Health 3300 N.W. Expressway, Oklahoma City, OK 73112 (405) 949-3011 | HealthLine: (888) 951-2277