Essentia Health Duluth Unveils Improvements At New Emergency Department

With the replacement of St. Mary's Medical Center nearing completion, Essentia Health in Duluth issued a press release this week to tell everyone about the state-of-the-art emergency department that will be found within the new facility.

Essentia Health says their new emergency department was thoughtfully designed to treat patients with all types of emergencies while making the delivery of timely care even more efficient.

They highlighted six key elements within the new St. Mary's Medical Center that they expect to enhance their ability to provide excellent, streamlined patient care while respecting the dignity and privacy of the patients and families they severe.

The key elements of the new facility include:

• Size: The new emergency department is larger than the current space, offering 25,800 square feet and 40 private beds. It has been designed to care for people who are experiencing all kinds of emergencies in a streamlined fashion, whether they are being treated for a stroke, trauma, heart attack, behavioral health episode, or something else.
• Technology: Advanced imaging (including CT, X-ray, and ultrasound machines) is located within the facility itself. This allows their multi-disciplinary team to care for patients who require advanced imaging, which includes people with neurological, traumatic, and orthopedic emergencies more safely, more efficiently, and with more privacy. Having immediate access to this technology is a big advantage to their medical team and their patients.
• Trauma patient care: They are the only Level I adult trauma center and the only Level II pediatric trauma center in the region. Both of these certifications will transfer from the legacy St. Mary’s Medical Center to the replacement hospital. That means they are ready at all times to care for people with traumatic injuries. The new facility is equipped with four upgraded trauma bays and the ability to expand to manage mass-casualty situations.
• Helipad: The helipad at the replacement St. Mary’s improves patient care, especially when time is crucial. Thanks to their innovative design, patients will be transported directly from the helipad to the facility via a high-speed elevator.
• Psychiatric patient care: The need for behavioral health care is on the rise and with the unique requirements of these patients, they have a wing that's specifically for this type of treatment.
• Design: the new emergency department is "modern, meticulously planned, and adorned with artwork, soothing colors, higher ceilings, and other calming design elements." There are also more private rooms and private entrances to both the trauma and psychiatric areas.

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As Essentia Health transforms its downtown Duluth medical campus with its Vision Northland project, it appears they've paid close attention to every detail. They are now in the home stretch of this massive undertaking and their first patient day is anticipated in the third quarter of this year.