Community Medical Center Opens New Emergency Department
June 14, 2023
Community Medical Center, part of Lifepoint Health, held a gauze cutting ceremony of its new and expanded Emergency Department on Wednesday. The gauze cutting was a nod to Community Medical Center’s gauze cutting ceremony held in 1972 when the current hospital building opened on Fort Missoula Road.
The Emergency Department project broke ground in the fall of 2020 in the midst of the pandemic and was expected to open in 2022. However, no could anticipate the supply chain delays that would impact the project. With challenges came opportunities. The delays allowed the hospital to re-think some areas of the project to meet today’s healthcare needs.
The new Emergency Department will not only add additional space, but also includes resources and an environment designed for patients of all ages as well as our EMS partners. Some of these include:
20 All private rooms
- Dedicated behavioral health rooms
- Bariatric sensitive spaces
- Dedicated isolation rooms with a decontamination area for patientswith contagious diseases
- Pediatric rooms
- New trauma bays
- Heated ambulance garage
- 911 lounge for first responders
“We are thrilled to celebrate this new facility today and then welcome our first patients tomorrow,” said Dr. Nancy Trangmoe, Medical Director for Community Medical Center’s Emergency Department. “As an ER doctor for over 20 years at Community, it has been an honor to provide quality, emergent care for people throughout Western Montana. Now – we can not only care for more patients, but also provide each patient a private room, a comfortable environment and treatment spaces that recognize the special needs of our patients and our EMS partners.”
The $14.4M project came to fruition after a thorough analysis of population growth and demographic projections for Western Montana identified a need to renovate and expand the emergency department to better serve the community. The population of people age 65+ in Missoula and surrounding areas is expected to grow. An older population means more demand for health care services. Additionally, as a regional leader in pediatric care, the new pediatric spaces will help meet the unique needs of children and families.
"The population throughout Western Montana is changing and we need to ensure we are meeting the healthcare needs of our community. Opening a new ER is just one example of how we are working to meet patient’s needs," said Bob Gomes, CEO at Community Medical Center. "Other projects we are working on include partnering with other local healthcare providers to open a new dialysis center in Hamilton, donating land to MSU for a new nursing school in Missoula and in the fall, we plan to break ground on a new $17.9M cardiovascular building."
The new emergency department is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, offering immediate care for emergencies – including illnesses and injuries, for both adult and pediatric patients.
