Construction Begins on New Satellite Emergency Department

In Browns Mills this past July, representatives of Deborah Heart and Lung Center and Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County used a ceremonial strike with a sledgehammer to officially kick off the demolition and construction phase of a new satellite emergency department (SED). The new SED is scheduled to open in February 2010.

The SED will be located at Deborah Heart and Lung Center and will be operated and staffed by Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County. The 10,000 sq. ft. facility will serve 10-15,000 patients a year in a 10-mile range of Deborah spanning Burlington, Ocean, and Mercer Counties. Residents in these previously medically underserved areas will enjoy the benefits of a modern, cutting-edge satellite emergency department that will offer a wide range of amenities.

The SED, under Lourdes’ operation will provide emergency services to all patients who need care. Once stabilized, patients who are not discharged may either be admitted to Deborah, or transferred to another hospital to provide additional care as required. Among the many features to be found in the new Lourdes SED are 11 exam/treatment rooms, triage evaluation, immediate non-urgent care, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, and additional specialized treatment areas including OB/GYN and Isolation/Decontamination, as well as a wide range of support services provided by Deborah including radiology, security, pharmacy, lab, supply, and sterile processing.

The new SED will also offer ample parking at an easy to drive-to-location. Nestled in the Pine Barrens away from city sprawl and heavy traffic, Deborah’s location will offer both ambulances and walk-in patients hassle-free access to top-quality emergency care. Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County, part of the Catholic Health East system, is one of the most well-respected hospitals in the Delaware Valley, and Deborah Heart and Lung Center is known as the region’s premier specialty hospital. Together the two healthcare centers’ combined synergies will benefit tens of thousands of area residents with superb emergency care right in their backyards.