Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center opened its new $78 million state-of-the-art Emergency Department on Monday, Aug. 30, with a traditional blessing of the building offered by Bishop Emeritus Gerald E. Wilkerson and joined by the Sisters of Providence. Chief Executive Officer Karl Keeler and emergency department physicians and nurses also participated.
The hospital has a unique history that goes back to the 1940’s, World War II and the entertainment industry. During that time, with both labor and materials in short supply, workers from the nearby studios helped craft the original wood-framed hospital.
Decades later, the new emergency room is now 34,500-square-feet with 44-beds. Hospital officials said the emergency room construction and hospital continues to be supported by the local community.