Northwest Hospital Breaks Ground on Emergency Department Renovation and Modernization

What: One of Baltimore County’s busiest emergency departments (ED) is getting a much-needed renovation, as Northwest Hospital breaks ground to renovate, modernize and expand its emergency department entrance, waiting areas and triage spaces. The $6 million project will reconfigure how patients receive care, improving the experience for both patients and caregivers.

The new patient-centered design will have a more efficient flow, building on initiatives already underway to reduce wait times. The project will add approximately 2,500 square feet and renovate 5,000 square feet of the ED entrance, modernizing waiting rooms to provide additional comfort and space. Renovated triage areas will offer more privacy.

The reconfigured space will create three pathways for patient care: a rapid evaluation unit for those with less urgent medical needs, a triage channel for more acutely ill patients who may need to be admitted to the hospital and a separate waiting area for behavioral health patients. The renovation will also improve the flow for the nearly one-third of patients who arrive by ambulance, highlighting the importance of collaboration with partners in emergency medical services (EMS). The footprint will allow EMS providers to bring acutely ill patients directly into a triage room for immediate care, helping to get EMS teams back in the field faster to serve the next community member in need. 

Groundbreaking speakers include Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones, who was instrumental in securing the state funding for this initiative, as well as Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski. An emergency department nurse and physician will also speak about how renovation and modernization will benefit both patients and caregivers.

Projected completion date is summer 2025. The emergency department will, of course, remain operational during construction.  

When: Wednesday, June 26, 2022 (11 a.m.)
        
Where: 5401 Old Court Road, Randallstown 21133 (airconditioned tent outside the ED)
    
Why: Northwest Hospital is a vital resource for people in its community. The emergency department treats about 45,000 patients each year and that number is increasing. Northwest Hospital is located in the most densely populated area of Baltimore County with an increasing and aging population. The emergency department is known as the hospital’s front door, as 85 percent of Northwest’s patients come through the ED. The last significant renovations to this space took place nearly 15 years ago.

Contact: Theo Hayes, 410-601-2296, lbhmedia@lifebridgehealth.org