The initial phase of the expansion and renovation of the emergency department at Lutheran Hospital, located in Fort Wayne, Ind., is set to begin early this spring.

Much of the work will focus on the creation of an eight-bed, 3,900-square-foot transition unit located adjacent to the existing 16,600-square-foot adult ER. Other key elements of the $6.1 million project include the addition of a new CT scanner in the ER, a fifth trauma bay to accommodate multiple critical patients simultaneously and four rooms designated as a results waiting area to quickly treat and release patients.

Work on Lutheran’s ER will be comprised of five phases, which will enable it to remain fully operational throughout the project. Phase I will begin in April. All work is expected to be completed by October 2018.

When completed, the existing ER will have a total of 28 treatment rooms, a fifth trauma room and more workstations. The entire space will have new flooring, paint, hardware, curtains, furniture and equipment. Including the new eight-bed transition unit, the entire adult emergency department will grow to 36 beds and 20,500-square-feet.

Occurring at the same time as the ER project will be the relocation of Lutheran’s transfer center from the first floor of the hospital to the second. Dispatch of Lutheran’s critical care transport fleet and patient bed availability throughout the hospital are managed through the transfer center.

This is the latest in a series of Lutheran Health Network (LHN) projects. Other recent projects include an ER expansion at Dukes Memorial Hospital in Peru, Ind., which was completed in December, and the opening of Lutheran ER Statewood, Fort Wayne’s first freestanding ER, in October. Combined, these LHN ER projects account for a capital investment of nearly $20 million over the past year and a half.

MSKTD & Associates is handling the design and architecture work for Lutheran’s ER project and Weigand Construction is the general contractor.