OhioHealth Announces $5.8 Million Emergency Department Renovation at Marion General Hospital

Construction on a nearly $6 million dollar renovation is now underway for OhioHealth Marion General Hospital’s emergency department. Over the course of four phases, the space will be transformed to enhance efficiency and patients’ experience with a focus on improving comfort, safety, and security.  

“We are excited to officially break ground on this major renovation,” said Jim Parobek, president of Marion General Hospital. “This is all part of our mission to keep high-level care close to home. It will accommodate the evolving needs of the community.”

One piece of the project will be the creation of what’s called a “fast-track” area for patients experiencing low-acuity conditions, meaning symptoms of an illness or injury that have a low probability of progression to a more serious disease or complications. With that, part of the lobby and triage area will include six new patient rooms.

“The fast-track area will enhance the patient experience by providing a space that accommodates their needs in an efficient manner,” said Matthew White, MD, medical director of emergency services at Marion General Hospital’s emergency department. “It will also improve patient flow for the rest of the emergency department, allowing beds to remain available for high-acuity patients.”

The renovation will also establish a preferred behavioral health area, meaning a defined space to meet the needs of behavioral health and incarcerated patients.

“This will allow us to create rooms that are designed specifically for this population of patients with a controlled environment, less traffic and stimulation, and a space where we can work with our protective services resources in a more efficient manner,” said Jamie Cunningham, Marion General Hospital’s chief nursing officer.

Additionally, the project includes a relocated forensic nursing space as well as a separate ultrasound area which will include an expansion of the interventional radiology room to accommodate the hospital’s growing services.

During the construction period, patients may potentially experience inconvenience related to noise or room availability, but a commitment to delivering the highest level of care remains unchanged. Marion General Hospital is taking every measure to prioritize patient comfort, well-being, and safety.

The project is expected to take about one year to complete.

Renderings of the renovation are available for download here: OhioHealth Announces $5.8 Million Emergency Department Renovation at Marion General Hospital

About OhioHealth   

Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioHealth is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare outreach of the United Methodist Church.   

Serving its communities since 1891, OhioHealth is a family of 35,000 associates, physicians and volunteers, and a network of 15 hospitals, three joint-venture hospitals, one managed-affiliate hospital, 200+ ambulatory sites and other health services spanning a 50-county area. For more information, visit ohiohealth.com.