Kaiser Permanente Sacramento Increases Access to Care with Expanded Emergency Department

Twenty-three beds added at a time when access to care is critical

Kaiser Permanente opened an expanded Emergency Department at the Sacramento Medical Center, ahead of schedule, to help meet the needs of the community at a time when the need for high-quality care is greater than ever.

Please note this new access to the Emergency Department; find a flyer here.

The opening was celebrated Monday, October 26, 2020, during a virtual, live-streamed ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour of the 23-bed expansion hosted by Kaiser Permanente health care leaders. The opening comes two months earlier than planned and provides expanded access to care for some of the Sacramento region’s most critically ill patients.

“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we were five months into construction of the expansion. It quickly became clear that adding emergency care capacity was a priority that could not wait,” said Sandy Sharon, Senior Vice President and Area Manager, Kaiser Permanente Sacramento. “Our construction partners and clinical teams worked tirelessly to accelerate the expansion while ensuring the same high-level of safety and quality standards.”

At 11,700 square feet, the expansion includes a nearly 2,400 square-foot corridor that connects to the existing Emergency Department. In all, the expansion will double the footprint of the existing, 14,100 square-foot emergency department and increases the overall bed capacity to 59.

Each private treatment room has sliding glass doors and specific rooms are dedicated for children and patients who need to be isolated or have special needs. The expansion has three nurse stations, equipped with the latest technology, allowing staff to maintain sight lines with their patients and monitor their progress.

The Emergency Department includes a collection of art designed to foster a sense of calm and tranquility. There are nearly 60 pieces of art, and each treatment room has a soothing outdoor scene to help patients connect with nature. The largest piece is a mural created on site by well-known Sacramento artist Maren Conrad that features the iconic Tower Bridge and elements of the Farm-to-Fork movement.

“We want to acknowledge our excellent leaders in the Emergency Department for their expertise and guidance that ensured the expansion was built to meet our patients’ medical as well as emotional needs,” said Rob Azevedo, MD, Physician in Chief of Kaiser Permanente for the Sacramento area. “Our physicians, nurses and staff provide exceptional care to patients who can be under extremely stressful circumstances, and they provide this care with skill and compassion.”

The Emergency Department remained open during construction. Patients will be cared for in the expanded area beginning Wednesday, October 28, at the hospital at 2025 Morse Avenue, Sacramento.
“During this pandemic, our region is being challenged like never before,” said Sacramento County Supervisor Susan Peters. “Kaiser Permanente’s expansion of its emergency department will bring needed emergency-care capacity to our community when it’s needed the most. I commend Kaiser Permanente for its efforts to expand this needed resource two months ahead of schedule.”

Kaiser Permanente Sacramento is recognized for the care it provides to its members and patients. Kaiser Permanente Sacramento Medical Center is an Advanced Neuroscience Center, a Joint Commission-recognized Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center and it is accredited as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Program by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons.