Stanford Health Care to Open Expanded Adult and Pediatric Emergency Departments and Level 1 Trauma Center

Beginning November 17, Emergency Services at Stanford will Separate to Better Serve Patients’ Needs with Dedicated Pediatric ED

PALO ALTO, Calif., (November 14, 2019) – Beginning at 7 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, Stanford Hospital will have two emergency departments: one for adults and trauma patients of all ages at 1199 Welch Road in the new hospital and one for children up to 20 years old at 900 Quarry Road Extension in the original building.

Since 2005, Stanford has provided a separate treatment area for pediatric patients within the existing ED, staffed by emergency medicine physicians, emergency physicians, nurses and child-life professionals who specialize in caring for children. But, as the local population has ballooned, patient volume in the emergency department has outgrown its original space.

“With more than 78,000 emergency room visits each year and a projected 90,000 visits next year, ensuring that our emergency room capacity keeps pace with the region's rapidly growing population is a top priority,” said David Entwistle, President and CEO, Stanford Health Care. “The new expanded emergency areas allow us to increase our capacity to treat the most seriously ill and injured, while providing patients with a superior experience when they visit Stanford for their care.”

The new 42,692-square-foot Marc and Laura Andreessen Emergency Department is more than double the size of the existing ED and features a dedicated area with high-touch, quick turnaround services for low-acuity adult patients, and a separate area for trauma cases. As the only Level 1 Trauma Center between San Francisco and San Jose, Stanford Health Care receives critical care patients from throughout California, and also patients from across the region who will be transported to the new rooftop helistop located above the patient pavilions. The helistop is connected by express elevator service directly to the Emergency Department and operating rooms, providing faster access to care. The adjacent 900-space parking structure can, in the event of a mass-casualty event, double as a triage center, with emergency showers and eye-wash stations.

Over the next 18 months, the pediatric emergency department will remain open as phased construction begins to transform the emergency department on Quarry Road Extension into a modern pediatric emergency facility with triple the floor space of the existing pediatric area. It will have 15 private rooms; trauma and resuscitation areas; dedicated rooms for psychiatric patients; and a child-centered design, said Bernard Dannenberg, MD, director of pediatric emergency medicine.

The redesign will allow pediatric emergency medicine specialists to better serve young patients in a more child-friendly environment, with more space for child-sized equipment, beds and pediatric specialists. It will also ensure that pediatric patients are in closer proximity to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and make it easier for patient transportation.

“Having a dedicated pediatric emergency department creates a more supportive care environment for pediatric patients and their families,” said Patrice Callagy, executive director of emergency services. “Visiting an Emergency Department can be a stressful experience for children and families, and this dedicated pediatric emergency department will address specific and special needs of pediatric patients and their families.”

Both emergency departments will have their own ambulance entrance and receiving area to ensure privacy and rapid access to doctors and other emergency staff. Signs will direct patients to the entrances. Adult patients may either use self-parking at the underground Pasteur Visitor Garage (300 Pasteur Drive) self-park in the Pasteur Visitor Garage, Roth Way Garage, Stock Farm Lot, Lot 1A and at the Hoover Pavilion campus.

For more information about the new Stanford Hospital, visit: www.stanfordhealthcares.com.

About the New Stanford Hospital

Designed by the internationally recognized firm Rafael Viñoly Architects, the new Stanford Hospital sets a global standard for patient care. The new hospital blends a human-centered approach to care with a razor-sharp focus on integrating technological advancements into every aspect of medical care delivery. Four acres of gardens, original art and sweeping views share the spotlight with state-of-the-art interventional operating and imaging suites, digitally driven patient rooms and access to a premier team of specialists from across Stanford Medicine.