University Hospital's state-of-the-art Emergency Department (ED) occupies a 38,000-square-foot ground-level space at its new location in the North Pavilion. The area houses 45 treatment rooms divided into five patient care areas. Some treatment rooms are designed to meet the unique needs of specific patient populations, such as gynecologic, psychiatric, and orthopedic/casting patients, as well as family counseling rooms for ED staff to discuss the condition of loved ones. There are also special facilities for bioterrorism decontamination.
An on-site radiology unit featuring two high-speed CT scanners, a stat lab, an eight-room Urgent Care Center, and three large trauma-procedure rooms are part of the emergency area. Separate ambulance and ambulatory entrances, admission and discharge areas, and direct ED access via oversized elevators from the rooftop helipad will facilitate triage and patient flow.
In addition, the unit encompasses three separate waiting areas containing approximately 117 guest seats to accommodate patients and families. Security and safety management includes cameras, limited access to patient care areas, security officers, and a security substation.
University Hospital's ED, one of the state's busiest, currently treats 45,000 patients a year with an anticipated volume increase as the state's population ages. The hospital has Alabama's only adult Level I trauma center.