Many of you may have noticed the construction in our Main Entrance lobby, seen some activity on the hospital rooftop or watched the excavation outside of the Emergency Department (ED) ambulance bay. This construction is all part of our Emergency Services Project, which officially began July 2023.

The Emergency Services Project came to fruition through a federal grant that was applied for in 2019 and received in 2022. The grant, sponsored by Senator Maria Cantwell, along with generous funding from the Island Health Foundation, has enabled Island Health to relocate the helicopter pad from the north parking lot to the roof of our Acute Care Unit, closer to the ED. This project also includes updates to the ED and Main Entrance (off of 24th Street) to improve patient flow, safety and security. Once complete, the ED will be a secured department and the Main Entrance off of 24^th Street will become a true “front door” to our hospital and outpatient services. Patient parking at the south end of our campus, near the ED, is very limited. This “back door” entrance should be used by emergency patients and staff only.

Key highlights and benefits of the Emergency Services Project include:

• Relocating the helicopter pad to the roof, closer to the ED
• Enhance building security for patients and staff
• Improve flight path for airlifts
• Create a true “front door” to Island Health on 24th Street
• Enable expansion of the 24th Street parking lot for expanded clinic space
• Improve patient flow and wayfinding

The project has multiple components and several construction areas, some of which are occurring in tandem. The key milestones and timelines are as follows:

• The Main Entrance registration area is scheduled to be completed in November. Once this area reopens, registration for labs, diagnostic imaging and surgical services will all occur in the Main Entrance. The Central Registration area will be transformed to a patient waiting area this fall.
• The Rooftop Helipad will be completed in December.
• The Emergency Department Registration and Security Desk will be completed by spring 2024.

Please note that we encourage all patients to use our entrances off of 24^th Street and reserve parking to the south of campus for Emergency Department visits only. With increased construction in this area, it is extremely important to reserve all parking for emergencies.

To stay up to date on construction announcements and to follow our progress on the Emergency Services Project, visit islandhealth.org/progress.