Noble Hospital - ED Renovation Project

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT RENOVATION PROJECT

The current Emergency Department of Noble Hospital has been in operation since 1962. It was originally built to accommodate approximately 15,000 patients per year. Since that time, the volume has increased over 100%. Patients using the ED come from the Greater Westfield area, as well as surrounding hilltowns, W. Springfield, Springfield and Chicopee. In addition to the increasing volume, the wait times are increasing. Due in large part to the technology, patients are waiting for tests and procedures to be done in the ED that have historically been done as inpatient procedures elsewhere in the hospital. Additionally, Noble now abides by a mandated "no diversion" policy that requires ambulance calls to deliver to Noble, despite wait times. The need to maintain a comfortable physical space is heightened by these factors. As stated by Robert P. Perry, President and CEO, "The ED is truly the front door to any medical care facility, and it serves to reason that the surroundings should complement the extraordinary and exemplary care anyone visiting Noble Hospital 's ED will receive."

The project will run through several phases so that only a portion of the Emergency Department is being updated at any single time. The completed ED is expected to be finish in early spring 2010. Hospital engineering has annexed existing office spaces surrounding the ED and converted them into temporary patient rooms to handle the overflow from the Emergency Department.

The fundraising campaign for the ED project is also nearing completion and has been extremely successful. With a lead of gift of $50,000 from Westfield Bank, the ED Project is completely self-funded. "The support from the business community exemplifies how valuable Noble Hospital is to Westfield ," states Sarah Tanner, VP of Community Development. "Our supporters understand that to have a quality resource, such as Noble, requires everyone in the community help to maintain its existence." The Westfield Emergency Physicians group has committed $25,000, and Mr. Albert Ferst has generously donated all televisions to the project. Mr. Al Ferst states, "I can only hope that my donation will help people coming to the hospital for care, and also inspire others in the community to step up and give what they can." Most recently, Noble Hospital 's Board of Trustees and administrative staff have been challenged to match the $25,000 gift, collectively. Hospital staff have been actively engaged in fundraising for the ED project by participating in "dress down days" every Friday throughout the summer and fall. Major sponsors to the ED Project also include Columbia Manufacturing and United Bank. The recent Noble Ball produced over $126,000 in proceeds for the ED Project. To date, Noble Hospital has raised $300,000 for the project and has only a $100,000 gap to top off. Naming opportunities are still available and the public is more than welcome to donate to this effort. More information pertaining to the fundraising campaign is available through the Community Development office at the hospital.