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Franklin Memorial outlines emergency department expansion, adds behavioral health rooms and fast-track capacity
Summary
A representative from Franklin Memorial (MaineHealth) told the Selectboard the hospital will expand its emergency department from 17 to 23 beds, add behavioral-health treatment rooms and increase fast-track capacity to address a roughly 40% rise in ER demand.
A representative identified as Franklin (Franklin Memorial / MaineHealth) presented the hospital’s emergency department expansion plan to the Selectboard and explained how it is intended to address rising patient demand.
Franklin said the plan expands the ER from 17 to 23 beds, with “2 fully literature free behavioral health rooms, and then 2 flex rooms that we can make behavioral health if we need to.” The project also will add four fast-track treatment rooms to speed care for low-acuity patients.
The hospital reported a roughly 40% increase in emergency-room demand over recent years. Franklin said the project is being planned while the ED remains operational, requiring staged work and temporary space shifts: EMS will continue to use the existing ambulance entrance while walk-in patients will be redirected through the hospital front entrance to a larger waiting area and a new triage room.
On staffing, Franklin said additional ER physician positions have been approved and nursing and ancillary staffing is being recruited to support the increased capacity. Regarding behavioral health, Franklin said the hospital will continue to rely on existing psychiatric resources via consultation and crisis teams rather than creating a separate on-site psychiatric inpatient service.
Ending: Hospital representatives left contact information and told the board they will continue coordinating as the project moves forward; no Selectboard action was required at the meeting.
