Crews complete second phase of emergency-services department at Crouse Hospital

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Construction crews have completed the final phase of the $38 million emergency-services renovation and expansion project at Crouse Hospital.

The two-phase project was partially opened in July 2017, with completion of the 21,000-square-foot main emergency room (ER).

After more than 40 years of service, the hospital’s emergency services facility was in “need of renovation and expansion,” Crouse Health said in a release.

Crouse Health on Thursday formally opened the newly completed portion of the project.

The final phase involves the relocation of PromptCare from the CNY Medical Center, located across Irving Avenue from Crouse Hospital, to the main ER. The walk-in service in the main ER will now be called “CrousExpress.” The organization also noted that PromptCare will remain open for patients through 11 p.m. on Oct. 22, at which point it will close and all walk-in patient flow will occur through the main emergency services and CrousExpress entrance.

The project’s final phase also includes an additional 7,000 square feet of space and 16 new patient rooms, up to seven of which will be dedicated for CrousExpress walk-in patients. The project also includes a new front entrance for ambulatory (walk-in) patients and visitors.

With more than 82,000 patient visits in 2017, Crouse contends its emergency-services department is “the busiest in the area.” During the last decade, patient visits to the ER and PromptCare increased nearly 52 percent, per the news release.

Kimberly Boynton, president and CEO of Crouse Health, said that Crouse Health sees its emergency department as the “front door” to the hospital. Some 54 percent of Crouse’s overall patient admissions come from the ER.

“The opening of the last phase of this project, coupled with a rapid evaluation process that quickly directs patients to the appropriate level of treatment, will allow us to treat patients sooner and more efficiently,” Dr. David Mason, medical director of Pomeroy Emergency Services, said.

Naming gift

The naming gift for the overall project is from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. Other significant financial support comes from Syracuse residents Darlene and Eric Coons, in memory of relatives from the Makowski, Parkerson and Wadowiec families, Crouse Health said.

Donations from both the Pomeroy Foundation and the Coons family were made as part of the Crouse Health Foundation’s CrouseCares Campaign, “the largest comprehensive campaign in Crouse Health history.”

To date, donors have committed nearly $15 million in annual and capital donations since the campaign launched in 2015, largely to the Pomeroy Emergency Services project.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com