Tobey Emergency Department to open non-urgent area for less critical illnesses

For Immediate Release	Contact: Joyce Faria Brennan
February 22, 2008	508-961-5270
	brennanj@southcoast.org
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WAREHAM, Mass. — This week Tobey Hospital began construction on a new section of its Emergency Department that will be dedicated to treating non-critical illnesses. ExpressCare @ Tobey will separate patients with less critical injuries and health issues from the more seriously ill patients. This means shorter waiting times due to a dedicated team providing a variety of multidisciplinary services.

"Emergency departments triage patients based on the acuity of their illness. By separating patients into two sections, we are able to treat most patients within a shorter amount of time," said Elaine Meredith, Vice President of Tobey Hospital. "Urgent patients will still receive the same high-priority care while patients with less critical illnesses — such as flu, ear infections, sprains and suture removals — will be treated by a separate team of health care providers on the ExpressCare side."

Tobey Hospital will be renovating the ExpressCare side of the ER during the months of February through May.

ExpressCare will include up to five treatment bays, have the ability to do some lab tests at the bedside and will have staff dedicated to that area. It is scheduled to open in early summer when Wareham's population nearly doubles.

"During construction there will be additional noise and changes to the ER's layout," Meredith said. "We apologize for any inconveniences and thank you for your patience."

Tobey's 24-hour emergency room treats approximately 28,000 patients a year and is staffed full time by physicians who have specialized training in emergency medicine. Tobey's medical staff includes specialists in oncology, cardiology, orthopedics, vascular surgery and others. For more information visit www.southcoast.org/tobey/.

About Southcoast

Southcoast Health System, a not-for-profit charitable organization, is a community based health delivery system with multiple access points, offering an integrated continuum of advanced health services throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and East Bay, Rhode Island. It includes Southcoast Hospitals Group, formed in 1996 from the merger of Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford and Tobey Hospital in Wareham.

Southcoast has more than 40 ancillary facilities, including the Southcoast Health Van, home health care, hospice and infusion services, numerous outpatient medical services, an assisted living facility and a wellness center. For more information visit www.southcoast.org.

Southcoast is one of three community hospitals approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to perform open heart surgery and primary angioplasty beginning in Spring 2002.

Media Contact

Joyce Faria Brennan
Public Information Officer
Phone: 508-961-5270
Pager: 508-387-9605
Fax: 508-961-5876
brennanj@southcoast.org