East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, Ala., plans to build a freestanding emergency department to combat growing ED wait times linked to increases in emergency room volume, according to a WRBL report.
The hospital is looking to build a 16,000 to 20,000 square foot emergency department in Auburn to relieve volume at the main campus and improve wait times at both the Opelika and Lanier campuses. Construction of the facility would cost $3.6 million, along with $2.6 million in equipment.
"Our emergency room volume has increased steadily from year to year," said Terry Andrus, East Alabama Medical Center president and CEO. "We thought it would slow down with the Affordable Care Act because the goal was to get people to see a regular doctor, but it has not abated."
East Alabama Medical Center submitted a certificate of need to the state. If approved, construction is likely to start in fall 2018 with hope to open the facility in late summer or early fall 2019.