Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar, Minn., will make a $550,000 emergency room renovation in response to a sharp rise in patients with acute needs, according to a Duluth News Tribune report.
The rise in patients with acute needs, especially substance abuse, began in 2014, as the use of synthetic marijuana and other designer drugs became more widespread in the area, said Ken Flowe, MD, emergency physician and CMO at Rice Memorial Hospital.
As a result, Rice Memorial Hospital has seen a growing number of acutely psychotic and combative patients. Last year, mental illness and substance use made up 13 percent of Rice ER visits.
The renovation will remove walls and physical barriers to allow staff to more easily observe the waiting area, redesign patient flow to reduce contact between arriving and leaving ER patients, relocate the security office closer to the emergency department and move the medication dispensing machine to a more private area.
Construction will begin next year after the Rice Health Foundation's fundraising campaign reaches its goal.