PORTLAND, Oregon — On Tuesday, Providence Health announced a massive multi-million dollar campaign to significantly expand emergency and critical cardiac care at both St. Vincent and Portland medical centers. The expansion will allow them to see thousands of more patients a year.
"There are clearly more people that are needing our care than the spaces we have for them,” said Chief Medical Officer at St. Vincent Ray Moreno. “Anybody who’s working in an [emergency department (ED)] in town knows that EDs are full, lobbies are full, and sometimes ambulances need to go to other places — and none of us like that. We want to be open all the time to be able to take care of the next people.”
Moreno says this $177 million investment will provide room for another 50,000 emergency department visits a year between both hospitals. That's the equivalent of an entirely new emergency department for Portland.
"It's really exciting to see that we are going to create the capacity to serve the people that keep coming and need us to take care of them," said Moreno.
Providence Health says its Portland hospitals see more than 200,000 patients needing emergency care annually — but it's not just that. Like many medical centers across the nation, Portland is also dealing with overcrowded hospitals.
"It's not what we aspire to do,” said Moreno. “It's not what we want for ourselves. So, that's why we and other folks are planning on expanding that capacity so that we can take care of more people."
According to the Oregon Health Authority, emergency room wait times in 2022 were on the rise and averaged about 40 minutes — compared to a 15 minute wait time the year prior.
"And some folks walk into the lobby, they take a look around and say 'Wow, this is too full' and then they leave,” said Moreno.
Moreno tells KGW this is the hospital's opportunity to re-imagine cardiac care for the future. He adds this will save more lives and allow better outcomes in areas of urgent need.
"This is truly an investment in the community, because the community needs that capacity," said Moreno.
Providence Portland Medical Center is going from 52 emergency department patient care areas to 79. While St. Vincent is growing from 58 patient care areas to 84. Renovations will allow allows St. Vincent to add 16 new intensive care unit beds and 28 cardiac intensive care unit beds are getting moved to the second floor. Although St. Vincent will not be gaining cardiac intensive care unit beds — they will be larger.
The Tomorrow Starts Today campaign will deliver transformative changes for Providence patients, including:
- Reduced or eliminated wait times in the emergency department.
- Critical innovations and new facilities so Providence Heart Institute can provide the very best in complex cardiac care to more people as a national center of excellence.
- Improved safety, security, and comfort for patients and caregivers.
- More lives saved and better outcomes in areas of urgent need, including behavioral health, pediatrics and stroke care.
- New flexible sites of care to accommodate more patients in moments of crisis such as a pandemic or natural disaster. Dedicated treatment rooms for people experiencing substance use crises and related behavioral health issues.
Both hospitals will remain open during the expansion and renovation project. Providence says they’re expected to be completed by 2027.
