43 Erie County Medical Center 1978-Present Since ECMC’s Emergency Department’s last series of substantial renovations in the 1990s, annual patient volumes at the Emergency Department have increased by more than 100% resulting in strained resources and increased challenges for the dedicated ED caregivers. ECMC’s Emergency Department handles nearly 18% of all emergency department cases in the Western New York region; it provides the greatest volume of emergency and trauma services in all of Western New York. Working with doctors, nurses and other Emergency Department staff, ECMC’s executive leadership in 2016 launched an effort to build a new, state-of-the-art Trauma Center/Emergency Department (TC/ED). ECMC’snewTC/EDfacilitywill:doublethesquarefootageforlifesavingcareandimproved patient experiences; increase treatment rooms to 54 treatment stations for greater privacy andpatient-centeredcare,includingfouradditionalnewtraumaresuscitationsuitestobring priority care to the most critically injured patients and two behavioral health safe rooms; provide direct access from the rooftop helipad, as well as intradepartmental radiology for faster testing and diagnosis; shorten wait times for patients with minor medical concerns; improve efficiency, flow, and interaction between patients and caregivers; include private rooms to better accommodate patients and their families; add space to support ECMC’s role as WNY’s regional emergency preparedness center, ready for any type of disaster or mass casualty event, including specialized rooms for contagious diseases or conditions; include dedicated rooms with showers for victims of sexual assault, supporting ECMC’s role as a dedicated SAFE center; and better accommodate the ever-growing demand for emergency care. Most importantly, the new design and technology will help the hospital’s trauma physicians and nurses save lives. Over the past decade an increasing number of ECMC emergency patients are suffering from opioid-related addictions including both painkillers and heroin. In fact, between 2009 and 2016, the number of those patients more than doubled and nearly 20 percent of them were treated for overdoses in 2016. Only ECMC treats its patients for trauma, psychiatric emergencies, and substance abuse detox. An ECMC RN and a patient advocate provide prompt, compassionate care. Photo courtesy Wagoner Photography. Emergency Department personel working to save lives at ECMC. Photos coutesy Ron Moscati. ECMC’s Future Trauma Center/Emergency Department.