The province has announced that by the end of August 2023, the first stage of the redevelopment of the Emergency Department at the Peter Lougheed Centre will be complete. 

The redevelopment, which was split into phases, first began with construction in the spring of 2021, while the second phase of the development is slated to begin early this fall. According to the province, the completed first phase includes a larger and upgraded triage area, an improved resuscitation and trauma space and new, modern care spaces.

"The $137-million redevelopment will also enhance Emergency Medical Services access to the emergency department, improving both the design and functionality of the space for staff and patients," the province stated.

The second phase will include new, state-of-the-art equipment, that is meant to improve the patient experience and decrease wait time for patient diagnostics. This includes the addition of a portable X-ray machine (two total), four additional bedside ultrasounds for a total of six, and a bladder scanner.

Provincial Minister of Infrastructure, and MLA for Airdrie-Cochrane, Peter Guthrie said that phase two of the re-development will be complete in two years - in the fall of 2025.

"Alberta Infrastructure will continue to work closely with government and industry to deliver the high-quality infrastructure and increased health care access that Calgarians and Albertans need today and in the future.”

When fully finished in 2025, the new emergency department will provide 25 additional care spaces, each with the added capability of continuous cardiac monitoring, while increasing the overall space of the emergency department from 2,300 square feet to 4,600 square feet.

Provincial statistics state that in 2022, there was a nine per cent increase in visits to the emergency department at the Peter Lougheed Centre, totalling approximately 73,000 patients visiting the emergency department last year. Alberta Health Services ranks Peter Lougheed among the top five busiest emergency departments in the province. 

Peter Lougheed Centre opened in 1988, at which time the emergency department was designed to accommodate 30,000 to 40,000 patient visits each year.

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