ER expansion

To meet the growing needs of our community, St. Joseph's Emergency Department is expanding. We're changing our space and transforming your experience. Phase One of our Emergency Room expansion is complete, and work will soon begin on Phase Two.

State of the ER

Emergency departments across the nation are experiencing an overall increase in patient volume and the ER at St. Joseph’s is no different. Every day our ER sees over 230 patients, a 30% increase over just last year, with volumes expected to continue to rise.  

A multi-phase planning process has been developed to improve emergency care as we know it at St. Joseph’s. Core components include education for our community about appropriate use of the emergency department, the evaluation and streamlining of all processes, changes to the existing physical layout to improve workflow, and expanding to meet the increasing demands for emergency services now and into the future. 

Here for you—and growing

Phase One of our Emergency Room expansion is complete! The 8,000 sq. ft. expansion includes 24 new treatment spaces and a six person nurse/physician workstation. To provide a comfortable place for patients and families, the waiting room has been renovated to include a new front desk, and new finishes that promote a calm, welcoming feeling.

Every change and thoughtful addition was designed to maximize our efficiency, improve workflows, reduce wait times, and offer more privacy for patients and loved ones during difficult times. This new Emergency Department wing will enhance our SuperTrack process - reducing wait times to be seen by a provider and then discharged, ultimately freeing up resources and space to care for and admit patients faster and more efficiently. 

Phase two will introduce an Ouch-Less pediatrics area designed to serve 30,000 patients per year, age 14 and younger.

  • Four private treatment rooms that specialize in serving children
  • Equipped for both serious injuries or minor illness
  • At the ready child-sized medical equipment
  • Bright, fun, child-focused décor to calm and sooth the patients
  • State-of-the-art, age appropriate entertainment
  • Room for family members to offer emotional support
  • Practice OUCHER Scale for treatment and communication of children
  • Utilize techniques such as dermal glue instead of stitches, topical anesthetics instead of injectable medications, and oral medications instead of shots, to create an experience that is as pain-free as possible 

Support this project

The costs to overhaul the existing emergency room and change the way we provide emergency care are considerable at close to $8 million but will hold tremendous benefits for our community—impacting people of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. St. Joseph's Foundation of San Joaquin is a non-profit organization that helps to advance the needs of St. Joseph's through the generous support of community donors. Call St. Joseph's Foundation at (209) 467-6347 for more information on how you can get involved or feel free to use our online donation form to make a gift in support of our ER Expansion today.