St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Murphysboro is undergoing the first major modernization of its emergency department since 1994.
Phase one of the project is almost complete. It features eight new rooms, including two designed to treat behavioral health patients.
Hospital administrator Sue Odle says those two rooms include increased safety measures and glass doors. She says they also offer more privacy.
"Our main room was a semi-private room. So, when you had a trauma come in, both of those patients were in there. There wasn't a lot of space. It's very difficult to work in with all the equipment you have to bring in. That's now been fixed."
SIH Medical Group director Dr. Gerald McClallen says this will provide patients with more privacy and safety.
"Once this is done and it's used then these rooms maybe proto types for additional rooms in our other facilities in the future."
The new addition to the St. Joe's Emergency Department should open within the next month after state officials inspect the new space.
Phase two will renovate the existing ED. It should open early next spring.
