New emergency room to open for Screven County patients

SYLVANIA, Ga. (WTOC) - Emergency patients in Screven County will see a new emergency room and new features at their local hospital.

Hospital leaders say this redesigned ER helps them treat patients faster and offer more medical services and that matters, even in a small rural community.

Nurses, doctors, and others celebrated what they say is more than two years of planning design and construction. Part of the improvement is grouping the ER space with the labs needed in a crunch.

“When a patient comes in with a stroke, or a patient comes in with trauma, or cardiac issues, they’re literally steps away from CT,” said CEO Lagina Evans.

Optim Medical teamed with the community to spend roughly $2.5 million on the new ER. It includes a reworked HVAC system that helps them deal with patients who’ve been exposed to anything from farm chemicals to factory accidents.

“Every room in this part of the facility has the ability to be a negative-pressure room, which means we can isolate areas.”

Optim members say the new ER can help them provide more treatment for patients that they previously had to transfer somewhere bigger.

“When you look at this facility, aesthetically and the medical service it can provide, it’s really front of the line,” said medical director Dr. Sid Morgan.

They’ll officially open up at 7 a.m. Thursday morning.

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