Tomball Regional to expand emergency department

Tomball Regional Medical Center has announced plans to expand its emergency department by adding 3,100 square feet to the current department and will also renovate the existing space.

The expansion to the emergency department is designed to help facilitate the ability to provide services to a growing community in an aesthetically pleasing and technologically advanced environment, according to a news release issued by TRMC.

"I am excited about the opportunity to augment and enhance our already exceptional services," TRMC CEO Bud Wethington said. "Through the support of our employees, volunteers, physicians, community leaders and valued advisors and trustees; we are able to expand our services to provide our communities with excellent, compassionate care in a warm and quality environment."

Current services will be expanded to include two dedicated trauma rooms and an additional seven treatment rooms.

"These additions will help expedite patients from triage into the department for care to begin," TRMC Director of Marketing Kris Muller said. "The plan allows emergency department staff the most up-to-date workflow design providing greater ease of patients and medical staff supervision of the patient."

Once completed, the renovated and expanded emergency department will also include new, private rooms with flat-screen TVs, an expanded covered entry and an additional eight handicapped parking spaces and 25 non-handicapped spaces, according to the release.

The expansions and renovation of the emergency department is expected to provide new jobs and opportunities at TRMC, the release stated. Construction on the expansion is slated to break ground in the fourth quarter of 2014 with an anticipated completion date of spring 2015.