St. Francis Regional Medical Center, Shakopee, Minn., is spending about $44 million to build a free-standing surgery center while also expanding the hospital’s emergency room and cancer center. According to an article in the Star Tribune, the new construction projects are expected to begin in 2020.

Reporter Christopher Snowbeck writes: “The hospital’s emergency room will double in size, including a four bed mental health unit, four private trauma rooms, and a four-station garage for ambulances. The mental health beds are needed due in part to the regional challenge of finding inpatient space for mental health patients.”

New rooms in the ER will be larger to accommodate modern trauma equipment and private to better serve patients. “Two ambulances currently can drive-in and then back out of the ER garage,” writes Snowbeck. “With the expansion, there will be room for four ambulances to drive in and drive out.”

The hospital plans on spending $25 million on the ER project as well as an expanded cancer center. St. Francis will set aside $18.9 million on the new ambulatory surgery and endoscopy center.