Cullman Regional Medical Center, a greenfield replacement hospital TRO Jung|Brannen designed almost thirty years ago, has continued to grow and evolve, now renovating its Emergency Department for the second time since 2011. The original replacement hospital’s 8,800 square foot Emergency Department was increased to 13,480 square feet, then bringing the total exam rooms to 24 beds, increasing capacity. Existing exam rooms were enlarged by 50% of their original size, and fast track rooms were added in the new expansion construction.

 

The project also included relocating trauma and adding chest pain and a stroke center. To treat ED patients more quickly, the triage process was reconfigured with an “Express Care” nurses’ station. A new patient lobby was designed to add more seating for visitors and to include space for family waiting. Although the expansion was in a designated expansion zone, the project required five phases to avoid operational disruption to this critical hospital service.

 

Now facing more growth and planning for the future, Cullman has embarked upon another ED renovation and expansion as part of a larger renovation and expansion for its physical plant. The hospital, whose departmental capacity has increased from 40,000 to 60,000 emergency visits annually, has worked with community demographic projectionists who expect the area’s senior population of those 65-years-old and older to grow by 6.2% by the end of 2022.