NSMC News Releases
The wide hallway running through NSMC’s expansive new Emergency Department (ED) already has a name. “We call it ‘Main Street,’” says Sabrina Federico, R.N., M.S.N., Executive Director of Emergency Services. “It helps orient us within a new space that is significantly larger.”
Opening November 3, 2019, at 6 a.m., the new ED at NSMC Salem Hospital is bigger, brighter and equipped with the most advanced technology to care for patients on the North Shore. “This is a state-of-the-art emergency department,” says Phillip Rice, Jr., M.D., Chair of Emergency Medicine at NSMC. “You’re not going to get better care anywhere else.”
The new ED consolidates the Union and Salem emergency departments and features dedicated areas for treating adult, pediatric and behavioral health patients, all accessible off “Main Street.” “Bringing all of our adult and pediatric emergency medicine physicians and nurses together in the new Salem facility will create collaboration across disciplines that will benefit our patients and staff,” Dr. Rice says.
Located in a brand-new building on the Dove Avenue side of our Salem campus, the facility has 65 spacious patient bays enclosed by sliding glass doors that enhance privacy for important patient-caregiver conversations. “It will be a wonderful environment for patients,” Federico says.
The new ED also includes new space for pediatric emergency care. “We’re excited to be in a larger, more modern space,” says Brian Sanders, M.D., Chair of Pediatrics. “In addition, we’ll continue to provide compassionate care, including an ‘ouchless’ experience for kids, using non-invasive pain relief techniques to reduce anxiety and discomfort for children and their families.”
The expanded facility will improve the flow of patients in and out of the ED and reduce wait times. “The number of beds in the ED will enable us to see more patients in a time-appropriate fashion,” Dr. Rice says. “We’ll also have the 120-bed Epstein Center for Behavioral Health and the new Pingree Floor with an additional 24 private rooms for medical patients to expedite admissions and alleviate overcrowding.”
The new ED also offers on-site imaging technology, including CT scanning, ultrasound and X-ray, to provide patients quick, seamless access to these services. “We can’t wait to care for our patients in this beautiful new space,” Federico says. “It’s going to be great for the community.”
