The need
The need can be summed up in a word, space. There is a critical lack of space and the space that exists is weighed down with a cumbersome floor plan that creates workflow inefficiencies that slow down staff.

The facts

• In ten years the size of the Emergency has remained unchanged, unable to accommodate the drastic increase in population.
• Ten years ago, the average wait in emergency was about one hour for non-critical care, today the average wait is anywhere from three to eight hours, sometimes more.
• The waiting area is not designed with children in mind. This is a significant problem when wait times are excessive.
• The existing space works against us. Often, the emergency physician on duty is unable to attend to patients simply because the examining rooms are all in use.
• The limited number of examining rooms only allows for one physician to work at a time, while the demand for service calls for overlapping schedules.
• The space is crammed. Our stretcher space is about half of what is considered industry standard.
• The triage nurse is physically removed from the waiting room and cannot easily monitor the condition of the waiting patients, a potentially dangerous situation.
• The statistics reflect a growing community’s increased demand for emergency services, with 27,000 visits to Emergency in 1999/2000; 29,000 visits at present; and 41,000 visits projected for 2015/2016.

The plan
The plan is simple: to create more space and employ proper workflow efficiencies. Overall space will almost double from 602 m² (6,500 ft²) to 1,176 m² (12,658 ft²). The waiting area will be larger, brighter, friendlier, and designed with both the elderly and children in mind. The entry will feature an open design concept where admission and triage operate seamlessly side-by-side. Treatment and observation spaces will be user-friendly and designed with efficiency in mind. Efficiencies will aim to reduce wait times significantly and will include:

• A ‘fast-track’ to move patients with minor ailments through quickly.
• An overflow, or holding space, to accommodate patients who need to be admitted to the hospital and are waiting for a bed assignment.
• Multi-use rooms will be designed to provide a safe environment for patients who have psychiatric needs, or may also be used for families who need a quiet place to grieve the loss of a loved one.

Our new facility will apply best practices from around the world. For example, we will use the most recent information in infectious disease control in areas such as SARS, the flu, meningitis and other highly communicable diseases. We will put into effect ‘Green Building Technology’ which focuses on higher energy efficiencies and reusable resources.