Pittsburgh hospital renovates, expands its ER

A project at Pittsburgh-based St. Clair Hospital will increase the square footage of the emergency department from 13,000 to 31,000 and take the number of available treatment rooms from 20 to 46. Among the treatment rooms will be 31 for acute adult care; six for pediatric care; six "fast track" rooms for patients with minor illnesses and injuries, and three behavioral and mental health rooms. The increase in the number of treatment rooms and a revamping of the way the emergency department functions is expected to drastically reduce the amount of time that patients will wait for treatment, said hospital representatives.