6-24-04 - Texoma Medical Center unveiled the newly constructed Peggy Munson Wilcox Emergency Department Thursday afternoon.

The 13,700 square-foot facility features 22 private examination rooms, including two trauma rooms, a decontamination room, two nurse's stations, a dedicated radiology suite, private room for consultative
and pastoral care and special rooms for services such as ophthalmology, psychiatry, gynecology and sexual assault examinations.

It's estimated that about 30,000 patients will be cared for in this new facility next year. The Emergency Department will begin seeing patients in the new location in late July.

The waiting area is an open space with natural lighting and includes nearly 850 square feet, about four times larger than the present Emergency waiting area. Glass and natural lighting provide a comfortable atomosphere to the waiting area. A small courtyard is located off the walkway to the hospital and can be utilized by those waiting for their family and friends who are being treated.

The exterior of the new Emergency Department has been designed to blend with the existing buildings that make up TMC. However, the new facility will be clearly marked and easily recognizable to patients coming in for emergency services. The ambulance drop off and parking area is
screened from other entries into the hospital. Parking for the Emergency
Department is immediately south of the new facility and will be easily
accessible to visitors and patients. The new Emergency Department meets all the current standards of the Texas Department of Health and the Americans with Diabilities Act.

The cost of the new Emergency Department was $4.8 million.

Grants supporting this project have been provided by local foundations that include the W.B. Munson Foundation, the Clara Blackford and W. Aubrey Smith Foundation, the Thelma Braun & Bocklett Family Foundation , Elias and Hanna Regensburger Foundation and the Paul Pierce Foundation.

TMC All Stars, an employee giving campaign, provided over $120,000 of funding for the new ER. With the funds that have been raised, the employees chose to pay for the two trauma rooms in the new area. The TMC physician staff is also taking part in the All Stars campaign with 2 & 3-year pledges.