Lankenau Medical Center Expansion Breaks Ground In Wynnewood

WYNNEWOOD, PA (CBS) -- Lankenau Medical Center is breaking ground on its nearly $53-million expansion of its emergency department in Wynnewood, and it's expected to be completed in 2019.

The expansion will be constructed next to the current emergency department, and will triple the size of the existing space, according to hospital president Phillip Robinson.

"We have designed a new emergency department that will provide the utmost comfort, convenience and privacy, he said."

Lankenau's Emergency Department was designed to handle 35,000 patients a year, but they treat about 54,000 people a year. And, that number is expected to rise to 73,000 by 2025.

Dr. Joseph Bushra is Chief of the Emergency Department.

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"We do a good job - good nurses, good doctors, techs, laboratory and radiology - everyone works seamlessly together, but we're not always as fast and as efficient as we'd like to be.'

He says the expansion will improve the patient experience, and reduce waiting times.:

"We're very much looking forward to having the space to give patients the care that they need and deserve," he said.

Dr. Bushra says the existing emergency department will remain open.

"ED care goes on uninterrupted," he said.

Once the new space is ready, they'll move ops there, then return to the old ED, and renovate it.