Help will soon be on the way for residents of western St. Lucie County who need access to emergency care close to home.
The Martin Memorial Emergency Center at St. Lucie West, an off-site emergency department scheduled to open Sept. 1, will meet the critical medical services shortage currently facing that area by providing access to timely emergency care. The center will be located at the health system’s current facility at 1095 N.W. St. Lucie West Blvd.
The public is invited to attend a grand opening celebration on Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the facility. Free health screenings and refreshments, as well as a tour of the emergency center, will be available.
“We truly believe this emergency center will be an invaluable health care resource for residents of western St. Lucie County,” said Mark E. Robitaille, president and chief executive officer of Martin Memorial. “There is a demonstrated need for emergency services here and we are committed to providing access to that care. Having the emergency center in this centrally located area will allow us to provide immediate care to a sizable population that has not had the access it deserves.”
The emergency center will be open seven days a week, 24 hours a day, but will not provide inpatient beds. It will be staffed and equipped to handle many of the same emergencies a hospital would, though patients with more severe injuries or ailments will be taken to appropriate facilities. Patients requiring inpatient admission will be transported by ambulance to a hospital.
The 9,100-square foot emergency center will feature 12 beds and provide a wide range of care. Off-site emergency departments traditionally see patients with less serious illnesses or injuries, which generally allows them to treat patients more quickly, but the physicians and nurses on staff will be able to respond to acute injuries and illnesses as well. Martin Memorial’s St. Lucie West facility was renovated to meet state standards for emergency departments. The facility, which already featured ancillary services such as CT and MRI capability as well as other diagnostic technologies, made the transition more convenient.
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