Southeast Hospital auxiliary pledges to aid proposed emergency department expansion

An announcement of a three-year $210,000 pledge to help with construction of a proposed addition to Emergency Services was made at the recent Southeast Missouri Hospital Auxiliary winter luncheon.

The expansion, pending approval by the hospital's board of trustees, will add 3,000 square feet to the area.

Volunteer services director Marge Sullivan said the auxiliary understands the need for the Emergency Services expansion "and looks forward to providing some of the funds for it. It takes every volunteer contributing his or her part to staff service positions throughout the hospital campus to raise these funds."

Southeast vice president Pat Bira said the project includes an addition of three exam rooms and one psychiatric observation room, bringing the total number of ER exam rooms to 21; an expanded admission and registration area; a redesign to reduce waiting time and accommodate the hospital's status as an accredited Chest Pain Center; relocation and refurnishing the waiting area; addition of a second nursing station; addition of a Point of Care Laboratory service; departmental redesign to better accommodate disaster preparedness; the relocation and redesign of administrative and nurse practitioner office space.

Bira said the project will take about 11 months to complete and that in 2008 the hospital plans to implement an electronic information system to allow both filmless imaging and a paperless medical record system.

The luncheon also included an installation of new officers; an update on new hospital services and facilities; an Alzheimer's disease awareness presentation by Stephanie Rohlls-Young of the Alzheimer's Association; a presentation of a commemorative check representing Auxiliary hours of service to the hospital.

Installed as new auxiliary officers were Barbara Campbell, who succeeds Kathy King as president; Dorothy Taylor, vice president; Rhonda Parenteau, recording secretary; Rosemary Logan, corresponding secretary; Carolyn Brant, treasurer.

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133