The new emergency room setup at Santiam Hospital & Clinics will feature a separate pediatrics room because of a grant the hospital has received.
The Oregon Community Foundation’s Doris J. Wipper fund has awarded the hospital foundation $150,000 for the pediatrics facility, which will allow Santiam to support a dedicated pediatric room in the emergency department expansion project.
The number of pediatric patient visits at the Santiam Hospital emergency department currently is at 14.5% of all patients, said Eric Pritchard, executive director of the Santiam Hospital & Clinics Foundation. It is projected to increase as the Santiam Canyon area continues to grow.
“This grant will support important work in our community enabling the Santiam Hospital’s emergency department to have a dedicated pediatric room available,” Pritchard said in a statement released by the hospital.
“This space will include specialized pediatric equipment including an infant warmer and materials to create a child-friendly environment. We look forward to furthering this work in our community, and we are grateful for the OCF/Doris J. Wipper Fund’s generous support.”
Pritchard said the hospital hopes to open the new emergency department in the fall of 2024. The $6.5 million expansion will double the size of the emergency room, which has seen a 40% growth in patient load during the 2020-2022 three-year cycle. The hospital foundation has received a $1 million grant from Marion County and a $1 million private donation as the key pieces of the fundraising campaign, Pritchard said.
