Wilcox Medical Center Debuts Newly Renovated Emergency Department

Wilcox Medical Center in Līhuʻe recently celebrated the completion of its newly renovated Emergency Department.

State and county leaders joined the medical center’s staff and community members recently for a blessing of the new Emergency Department. The renovations began in October 2020; however, the department remained open at all times during construction.

It’s the first time the Emergency Department at the medical center has been completely renovated and updated since it opened in 1995. Wilcox averages 25,000 emergency visits and 450 trauma activations a year.

The $5.1 million renovation project was funded by community donations, including some from descendants of the Wilcox family and the medical center’s physicians and staff, among many others. Kaua‘i’s business community also contributed.

The new space features two trauma resuscitation suites and several specialized care rooms. Wilcox Medical Center is Kaua‘i’s only Level III Trauma Center and the first in Hawaiʻi to be verified by the American College of Surgeons.

The two new trauma suites will help improve efficiency of lifesaving care, with larger doors to make it easier to quickly move equipment and patients into the area. The suites also can accommodate additional trauma team members, the latest technology and essential supplies.

“We know how devastating a trauma incident can be, especially for our small community,” Jen Chahanovich, president and CEO of Wilcox Health, said in a press release. “Most of these medical emergencies involve multiple patients who need care simultaneously. We know that investing in these state-of-the-art trauma suites will continue to elevate the emergency care for the people on Kaua‘i.”

The newly renovated department also features three rooms with negative pressure where patients suspected of having infectious diseases will be treated, helping prevent air from flowing out into other areas to keep airborne diseases contained. And specially designed equipment is readily available in the department’s new pediatric and OB-GYN rooms.

The new Emergency Department also includes a dedicated room for behavioral and mental health patients with telehealth capabilities, featuring advanced video technology that allows Wilcox staff and specialists from throughout the Hawai‘i Pacific Health system to engage with patients at any time without entering the room.

All patient care areas also are now completely private.

For more information about Wilcox Medical Center, click here.