Hospital expansion on horizon Emergency department increasing in size

LANCASTER — Construction plans are moving forward for an estimated $16 million expansion of the Antelope Valley Hospital’s emergency department.

Hospital officials announced the expansion earlier this year in response to the growing need of a currently overcrowded emergency department. As the Antelope Valley’s only 24-hour, full-service emergency medical facility, and the second-busiest emergency department in the state, the need for an emergency department expansion was long overdue, officials said.

A few updates to the original plan include a new emergency medical services route to the hospital’s emergency department and additional parking space for emergency medical services vehicles.

AV Hospital has been closely working with the Office of Statewide Planning and Development, a state regulatory agency that oversees all hospital construction projects.

AV Hospital received its construction plan approval and has begun the construction of the plant fabrication of modular space. In addition, AV Hospital will begin laying out the work for the site’s foundation. What makes this project unique is that the added emergency department space will be connected to the existing emergency department. The modular space was designed to synchronize with the existing structure and will look and operate as though it has always been a part of the original building.

AV Hospital officials anticipate that there will be minimal to no disruption on site to doctors, patients and staff.

The new emergency department addition will be 7,200 square feet

and certified as an Office of Statewide Planning and Development-1 facility.

The building will include 40 treatment bays, nurse stations and support areas. The current emergency department treats between 11,000 to 12,000 patients a month and occupies approximately 100 to 150 treatment bays at one time. The expansion will allow the emergency department to occupy an additional 44 treatment bays at one time.

“We’re eager to open the doors to our new emergency department and provide the emergency medical care that the residents of the Antelope Valley deserve,” AV Hospital CEO Edward Mirzabegian said.

The new emergency department facility will be ready to treat patients in spring 2021.

COURTESY OF ANTELOPE VALLEY HOSPITAL Construction plans are moving forward for expansion of the Antelope Valley Hospital’s emergency department. The new addition will be 7,200 square feet and will help relieve overcrowding.