For Immediate Release	Contact: Joyce Faria Brennan
May 27, 2008	508-961-5270
	brennanj@southcoast.org
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WAREHAM, Mass. — Tobey Hospital has completed renovations on the ExpressCare @ Tobey side of its Emergency Department. ExpressCare @ Tobey separates 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.

Tobey Hospital's Emergency Department entrance has been returned to its original location. Walk-in emergency patients and direct admissions from physician offices should continue to use the ER entrance. Patients coming to the hospital for outpatient services, diagnostic imaging or maternity can enter through this entrance or the main hospital entrance.

"The ExpressCare side of the Emergency Department separates the urgent from the less critical injuries and health issues," said Elaine Meredith, Vice President of Tobey Hospital. "This means shorter waiting times due to a dedicated team providing a variety of health care services.

"When a patient arrives at the Emergency Department, he or she is triaged according to the acuity of his or her illness not the order received. By separating patients into two sections, we are able to treat most patients within a shorter amount of time."

Urgent patients will still receive the same high-priority care while patients with simple illnesses — such as flu, ear infections, sprains and suture removals — can be treated quicker and more efficiently.

ExpressCare @ Tobey has three new treatment bays equipped with the latest technology and conveniences, such as the ability to register patients and perform some lab tests at the bedside. Tobey's 24-hour Emergency Department treats approximately 28,000 patients a year.

Additional renovations are being made to the radiology waiting area that is adjacent to the Tobey ER. Construction is scheduled to be complete by mid-June. The cost of the ExpressCare renovation and construction project was approximately $1 million.

For more information visit www.southcoast.org/tobey/.

About Southcoast

Southcoast Health System is a community based health delivery system with multiple access points, offering an integrated continuum of health services throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and East Bay, Rhode Island. It includes the three hospitals that make up Southcoast Hospitals Group — Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford and Tobey Hospital in Wareham.

Southcoast provides advanced clinical services, such as open heart surgery, angioplasty and heart rhythm services, neurosurgery, weight loss surgery, orthopedic surgery and advanced imaging services. Southcoast is a not-for-profit charitable organization that depends on the support of the community to provide services.

More information is available onlinwww.southcoast.org.

Media Contact

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