L.A. County approves big expansion of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, one of the county-run health network’s most heavily used facilities, is poised for a major expansion that planners hope will greatly relieve overcrowding.
Los Angeles County Supervisors voted today to approve the final piece of a $333-million plan to expand the facility’s emergency department and renovate the surgical ward.
The emergency room will grow from 25,000 square feet with 42 bays to 75,000 square feed with 80 bays, providing enhanced privacy.
“Many of our patients are currently [treated] in five or six chairs in the hallway and in as many as 12 gurneys also in the hallway. Now, they will all have regulation-size rooms with the space and privacy to wait with their family while they are receiving care,” said Robert Hockberger, chair of the emergency department.
County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said, “Although there is a lot of bad news going around these days, it’s important to note that this county is stepping up to its responsibility to restore the badly needed safety net.”
-- Garrett Therolf at the Los Angeles County Hall of Administration
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EDITOR'S PICKS:
This is excellent, the ER is always full. No matter how hard the employee's work they will be limited to capacity of the faclities. Now theres less excuses :-D
Posted by: Harbor UCLA Patient | September 29, 2009 at 04:29 PM
Can you please build a parking structure so that the street parking on 220th can go back to the residents...
Posted by: neelie | September 30, 2009 at 04:10 PM