Community invited to celebrate and tour before it opens to patients

VANCOUVER – The PeaceHealth Southwest Emergency Department expansion is nearing completion of its first phase of construction and invites the public to a special open house celebration event on Friday, June 28, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The community is invited to:

• Take a behind-the-scenes tour
• Meet and talk with members of our Emergency Department team
• Learn more about our innovative Community Health Hub housed on the upper floor
• Meet our emergency response partners (police, fire, ambulance) and tour their vehicles
• Enjoy complimentary kid’s bike helmets and fittings (while supplies last)                

The new, LEED Certified facility will double the size of the current Emergency Department that currently experiences nearly 77,000 patient visits annually. It is considered the busiest Emergency Department on the West Coast and serves as the only Level II trauma center in the Southwest Washington region overseeing trauma care for six counties.

“We recognize that we have been serving our Emergency Department patients in a less than an optimal environment during this time of construction, and we are excited to show off our new facility that is designed with the patient at the center,” says. Jason Hanley, MD, Emergency Services Medical Director. “While our same highly qualified care team remains in place to care for our patients, we are confident that those coming in our new doors requiring emergent-level care will witness reduced wait times and an improved experience throughout their care process.”

The upper floor of the new facility includes a 24-bed observation unit for patients who require additional observation but not hospital admission. Additionally, it is home to the Community Health Hub (CHH), a unique, first-of-its-kind model of care that will provide non-medical care to Emergency Department patients experiencing behavioral health issues, addiction, homelessness, food insecurity and domestic violence. The CHH will be staffed by community partners, including SWACH, NW Cave, Lifeline Connections, Share, Meals on Wheels, Council for the Homeless, and many others.

By intersecting outstanding emergency care with essential social services under one roof, we are empowering healthcare providers and community partners to treat the whole person — body and spirit. 

“Southwest Washington is the proverbial City upon a Hill, with a tradition of taking care of each other which goes all the way back to the French-speaking Sisters who founded the first hospital here over 160 years ago. Having raised $54 million for this project, this is officially the largest fundraising campaign in Clark County’s history and we’re grateful to all who have gotten us this far,” says David Nierenberg, Co-Chair, PeaceHealth Southwest Foundation Healthcare Reimagined Campaign.

The new Emergency Department will officially open to patients starting July 16, and the main entrance will return to the previous address of 400 Mother Joseph Place. Mark your calendar for Fri., June 28, 4:30–7:30 p.m. to tour the new space before it opens for patient care.

About PeaceHealth

PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, a group practice with more than 1,200 providers and 10 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Visit us online at peacehealth.org.