By Tom Flanigan
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-984402.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Emergency room traffic is at an all-time high. Some hospitals are setting up specialized emergency facilities to keep younger patients out of the E-R crunch. Tom Flanigan reports one of Tallahassee's hospitals has moved in that direction.
Capital Regional Medical Center CEO Bud Weathington says it was simply a matter of increased service demand.
"In 2010 we provided emergency care to more than 70,000 patients, of which 12,000 of those were pediatric-aged children."
Anyone who's been to any hospital's emergency room knows it can be a confusing and even frightening experience. Even more so for little kids who are already hurting. Capital Regional's Medical Director of Emergency Services, Dr. James Calabro says the new pediatric E-R will be a child-friendly environment.
"It's a beautiful unit, it's a calming unit; when patients come in, they're going to get seen quick. They're going to be seen by board-certified pediatricians and emergency physicians."
On the unit's walls, cheerful pictures, including selected artwork created by local children. Dr. Calabro says its round-the-clock operation is a real boon for families.
"What this means I think is that the pediatricians' offices in town are overrun. They're doing their best, but this gives the working family an opportunity to get seen by a pediatrician after hours, which wasn't necessarily the case prior to the opening of this unit."
And Capital Regional CEO Bud Weathington says it's not just about the new emergency room.
"We will also add to our capabilities with the new pediatric in-patient unit. That'll be on the third floor of the hospital to care for the children who need to be admitted to the hospital."
All in all, that means some new hospital staff positions. And whenever someone says the word "jobs", Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce President Sue Dick is almost certain to be close by.
"We also applaud the addition of 20 additional health care professionals that will immediately be brought into our work force, which is very important to our economy."
Karen Moore is the newly named Chair of the Tallahassee-Leon County Economic Development Council. She says Capital Regional's pediatric emergency room is just the latest in what's been a recent gusher of health care expansions in the area.
"The building at Capital Regional Medical Center, the building going on at Tallahassee Memorial Health Care, the building going on at FSU and FAMU, and of course the soon-to-be attending of the ribbon-cutting at the Ghazvini Center this area is going to be known in North Florida and South Georgia as the mecca for health care."
And stay tuned. Word on the street is that some more local health care developments will be announced soon. We'll keep you posted.