Update: Emergency Department expansion at Sacred Heart
Updated March 2, 2012
Children's Hospital patients sign the Topping Beam
Patients from Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital get to be a part of the Children’s Emergency Center forever. At least their names do.
Thursday (March 1), kids were armed with permanent markers and had a rare opportunity to put their names or messages on a steel beam in the new Emergency Department. And a child life specialist brought out stick-on signs decorated by patients in the pediatric ICU who couldn’t come outside, and staff from the BEST program brought participants out to make their lasting mark on the Children’s Hospital.
On Friday, steel workers carried out their tradition of a “topping” ceremony as the last steel beam was “flown” into place. The beam signed by patients and staff now rests atop the portion of the new emergency center that will be the Kids Clubhouse when the building opens one year from now.
Crew members made sure the side with the kids’ art was on the exterior so it remains visible from the ED parking lot for a period during construction. Bouten officials said this is the last beam being raised, when it was put into place on Friday.
• See more photos of the beam signing and topping ceremony »
Updated January 11, 2012
Project pauses for Medal Dropping Ceremony
Construction crews on the site of Sacred Heart’s Emergency Department project took a short pause for a “medal dropping” ceremony, that has become tradition for Providence construction projects in Spokane.
Four Providence leaders and a Bouten Construction representative dropped medals depecting Jesus, Mary, St. Joseph, Guardian Angels and Blessed Emelie Gamelin (foundress of the Sisters of Providence) into the footing for a wall of the expanded Emergency Department.
Sister Peter Claver began this tradition in the 1960s, when the “new” Sacred Heart main tower was built. Without ceremony, she and Gus Bouten walked to the site where cement was being poured and dropped a medal. Today, Gus's grandson (and Bouten Construction president) Bill ensures that every major building project at Providence hospitals includes this sacred act.
• See more photos from this ceremony »
Updated October 31, 2011
Rypien Foundation presents major donation for Children's Emergency expansion
At a groundbreaking ceremony this morning, Super Bowl MVP and former Washington State Cougars quaterback Mark Rypien presented a check for $3 million to help build the new Pediatric Emergency Department at Sacred Heart Children's Hospital.
Sacred Heart’s Emergency Department expansion will include 24,000 new square feet and the remodeling of more than 4,200 square feet of existing space. The new Emergency Department will feature a completely separate waiting and treatment area for children in order to make an ER visit less frightening for children and more suited to their unique needs.
The Rypien Foundation, created after Mark lost his three-year-old son to cancer, supports local programs that improve the quality of care and life for families fighting childhood cancer.
Updated October 28, 2011
Sacred Heart, Rypien Foundation to partner on new Pediatric Emergency Department
Mark Rypien, Super Bowl MVP and former Washington State Cougars quaterback, will join Spokane Mayor Mary Verner and Providence leaders on Monday, October 31 to commemorate the official groundbreaking for Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital’s new Emergency Department. During the ceremony, Rypien will announce a major gift on behalf of the Rypien Foundation to support the hospital in creating a state-of-the-art emergency center for children and adults.
Sacred Heart’s Emergency Department expansion will include 24,000 new square feet and the remodeling of more than 4,200 square feet of existing space. The new Emergency Department will feature a completely separate waiting and treatment area for children in order to make an ER visit less frightening for children and more suited to their unique needs. The new emergency department will also feature a new pediatric trauma suite and a Kid’s Club House for children to relax and play during their visits.
"We are excited about this unique opportunity to join forces with Providence Sacred Heart and establish a Children’s Emergency Center," says Mark Rypien. “For most young cancer patients, their journey begins at the front door of an emergency department. To support pediatric patients and their families, we have created this specialized emergency room just for kids, to help meet their unique needs and take away some of the fear for them.”
The Rypien Foundation, created after Mark lost his three-year-old son to cancer, was established to support local programs that improve the quality of care and quality of life for families fighting childhood cancer. The Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital has been a beneficiary of Rypien Foundation gifts for numerous projects in the past.
“We’re very grateful to the Rypien Foundation for its support of our new Emergency Department,” says Elaine Couture, Sacred Heart’s chief executive. “We value their partnership in helping to improve care for children who face unexpected illness and injuries, and in serving the whole family during that process.”
As the only Level 2 Trauma Center in the region, Sacred Heart’s emergency department volumes have grown dramatically in recent years, far outpacing its present capacity. Sacred Heart also operates the region’s only inpatient psychiatry unit providing emergency care 24/7 to those in crisis. The new Emergency Department will provide the community with much-needed resources. Construction will last 14 months and cost approximately $18.6 million.
Updated October 24, 2011
Major changes are taking place this week, as crews prepare for groundbreaking of the new, expanded Emergency Department at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children's Hospital.
Beginning Monday, October 24, the main Emergency entrance will be closed.
Patients will be re-directed through the L1 sky-bridge entrance to the Sacred Heart Children's Hospital, located on the east side of the Emergency Department parking lot. Staff and equipment will be ready to assist in navigating this alternate route to the Emergency Room triage area.
Parking will be limited during construction. We encourage patients to utilize our free Valet Parking service, available Monday - Friday, 6 a.m. - 6 p.m.
We will continue to post information here throughout construction. Please check back frequently for updates.
Updated October 17, 2011
Groundbreaking is two weeks away, but we are beginning work today to prepare for the expansion of our Emergency Department at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital.
Effective Monday, October 17, parking will be significantly reduced. Here is what we are doing to ensure patients have access to our facility:
- We have instructed staff, and physicians not seeing patients in the ER, to park elsewhere. Employee vehicles left in the Emergency area will be towed.
- Beginning next week, we will offer Free Valet Parking services to patients coming to the Emergency Department; Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. - 6 p.m.
We will continue to post information here throughout construction. Please check back frequently for updates.
Sacred Heart announces Emergency Department expansion
October 10, 2011 — Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital has announced that construction on a new Emergency Department will begin next week.
The expansion of Spokane’s busiest Emergency Department (ED) will include more than 14,000 new square feet and the remodeling of nearly 4,000 square feet of existing space.
A number of features will enhance the care Sacred Heart provides to both children and adults in need of triaging and treatment, including:
- completely separate treatment areas for adult and pediatric patients and families;
- 15 additional emergency exam rooms;
- a psychiatry triage room for pediatric patients;
- a seven-room mental health care holding area for adults;
- a dedicated trauma room for children;
- a kids’ clubhouse for siblings of pediatric patients and children of adult patients;
- an atrium and coffee bar; and
- larger, more comfortable waiting areas.
“We’re excited to be moving forward with this long-awaited and much-needed growth,” says Elaine Couture, Sacred Heart’s chief executive. “As the only hospital with dedicated psychiatric care, Sacred Heart provides a critical safety net for the region. In addition, the growth of the Children’s Hospital and the fact we are Spokane’s only Level II trauma center have simply demanded expansion in order to meet our community’s needs.”
Construction is expected to last 17 months, with a total cost of $18.6 million. Mahlum Architects of Seattle and Bouten Construction of Spokane are partnering on the project.
The first step in construction will be the creation of a new temporary entrance. Patients will still come to the same general location, near the corner of 8th Avenue and Division Street, and because parking will be limited, Sacred Heart is providing valet services for patients and families needing emergency care.
“We’ve taken a number of steps to ensure safety and quality service as well as patient convenience during the construction,” says Couture.
“We’re also proud of the impact this project will have on building the local economy,” she adds, “offering more construction jobs at a time when the economic recovery is slow.”
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