Memorial Health Announces Plans for Freestanding Emergency Rooms

As our communities grow, Memorial Health is making sure that our neighbors have access to emergency care where they live. That is why we have submitted two Certificate of Need applications to the State of Georgia for freestanding emergency rooms in Pooler and Richmond Hill.

The freestanding emergency rooms will be staffed 24/7, 365 days a year by board-certified emergency medicine physicians and nurses who are specially-trained to care for patients during a medical emergency. Each facility will be more than 12,000 square feet, have 12 beds (including one trauma bay) and will employ 32 staff members.

Both Pooler and Richmond Hill are experiencing tremendous growth, and these ERs will provide access to emergency care where it is needed.

"Bryan County is excited to hear that Memorial Health has plans to build and open a freestanding emergency room in our community," states Carter Infinger, Chairman for Bryan County Board of Commissioners. "This facility will benefit our residents in a multitude of ways, but most importantly by providing high quality medical care for those contending with medical emergencies requiring immediate attention."

These freestanding emergency rooms will function as satellite departments of Memorial Health, the region's only Level 1 trauma center. They will provide on-site CT scans, X-rays, ultrasounds, include clinical laboratory services and will be staffed by clinicians trained to accept patients transported by EMS.

"Our new freestanding ERs in Pooler and Richmond Hill will be able to diagnose and quickly treat patients with serious medical conditions," said Dr. Jay Goldstein, medical director of emergency services for Memorial Health. "Physicians at these facilities can care for emergent patients, such as stroke patients, administering tPA (a clot-busting drug) to stabilize the patient and then transfer to the hospital for additional care, if appropriate."