The doors to the Martin Memorial Emergency Center at St. Lucie West had not even opened yet when the first patient seeking care showed up on the morning of Sept. 1, 2009.
People have continued to receive care there at a remarkable pace, averaging nearly 2,000 visits per month since the emergency center began treating patients a year ago. Demand was high enough that Martin Memorial has already added an additional bed for a total of 13.
Located at 1095 N.W. St. Lucie West Blvd. in Port St. Lucie, the emergency center is an off-site emergency department designed to meet the critical medical services needs for western St. Lucie County by providing access to timely emergency care.
“When we opened this facility we believed it would be a valuable resource for the community and it has exceeded expectations,” said Steven D.M. Parr, DO, medical director of the emergency center. “We have been able to help a great number of people receive the care they needed quickly and close to home.”
The 9,100-square foot emergency center provides a wide range of care, treating everything from sprains to chest pains. Diagnostic imaging – including X-rays, and MRI and CT scans – are available on site, as well as a laboratory dedicated just for the emergency center.
While off-site emergency departments traditionally see patients with less serious illnesses or injuries – generally allowing them to treat patients more quickly – the physicians and nurses on staff are able to respond to acute injuries and illnesses as well.
The emergency center is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day, but does not provide inpatient beds. It is staffed and equipped to handle many of the same emergencies a hospital would, though patients with more severe injuries or ailments are taken to appropriate facilities. Patients requiring inpatient admission are transported by ambulance to a hospital.
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