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Beloit Hospital finishes $11.6 million expansion of emergency department

BELOIT — They didn’t necessarily want to do it, because that means seeing more sick and injured patients.

However, administrators, doctors and nurses at Beloit Memorial Hospital knew they had to make drastic changes to their emergency department, one of the busiest in the state. Those changes — an $11.6 million project that tripled the size of the department — are now a reality, and Beloit’s revamped ER is receiving rave reviews.

“The key challenge was doing this in phases while continuing to offer the community quality health care, and I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback from employees and all of the major stakeholders,” said Doug Wait, construction coordinator for Beloit Health System, which operates the hospital. “From a builder’s perspective … we’ve created an efficient environment for our doctors and nurses to work in. And the real winners are the Stateline area’s patients, who’ll be cared for in a state-of-the-art department that will take us well into the future.”

Ground broke in September 2008 on a 22-month effort that featured three clinical phases and a fourth phase for nonpatient areas while doubling its capacity. The hospital will show off the final product during an open house from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 17.

Read the full story in the e-edition of The Stateline News, HERE.