VALPARAISO | The healthcare landscape in Northwest Indiana expanded at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 1 as Powers Health opened its new $4.3 million Emergency Department at the St. Mary Medical Center Outpatient Center in Valparaiso.
The healthcare system hosted a private ribbon cutting and open house Nov. 25 for the 8,000-square-foot Emergency Department, including 11 patient care rooms, two triage rooms, treatment rooms with critical care monitoring equipment, a digital X-ray room, an ambulance bay, a dedicated EMS entry and work area and more. These services will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the Outpatient Center, 3800 St. Mary Drive, Valparaiso.
“In 2023, our former mayor here in Valparaiso, Matt Murphy, came to me with a very specific request – to open a 24/7 emergency department for the community,” said Janice Ryba, CEO of St. Mary Medical Center. “Our leadership team went to work immediately. For us, this was a call to action. The board of directors of Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana and St. Mary Medical Center wholeheartedly encouraged us to proceed. Powers Health continues to fulfill our mission to provide high-quality, patient-centered care with advanced technology to the communities that we serve.”
Following the ribbon cutting, attendees toured the expansion, with doctors and nurses on hand to explain the features and what kind of experience patients can expect.
“Patients can expect the same high level care they would receive at one of our main hospital campuses,” said Kim Sgouroudis, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care Services for St. Mary Medical Center. “If a patient needs to be admitted, they may be transported to St. Mary Medical Center for additional care. We have contracted with inHealth EMS for on-site ambulance services.”
Guneesh Saluja, MD, who serves as medical director for Emergency Services at St. Mary Medical Center, said having emergency services 24/7 is crucial for the community. “Having this access is essential to providing high-quality care in emergent situations,” he said.
Patients presenting with stroke symptoms at the Valparaiso Emergency Department will have access to the expertise and services available at the Primary Stroke Center at St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart or the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Community Hospital in Munster.
“If a patient comes here with a stroke and needs a thrombectomy, which is a clot retrieval, we can get them quickly to one of our hospitals without any barriers,” Saluja said. “The movement from here to our hospitals is going to be seamless.”
Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas, who took part in the ribbon cutting and toured the new department, praised Powers Health’s commitment to the community.
“This gives us a really good and really close option for our residents when they need emergency care,” he said. “It’s going to help us provide a high level of care here in the city of Valparaiso, so we’re celebrating. We’re so grateful for this investment, and we look forward to continuing to work with Powers Health for the betterment of our citizens.”
St. Mary Medical Center Outpatient Center’s Emergency Department opened at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 1 and is open 24 hours a day. To learn more about the services offered at Powers Health, visit PowersHealth.org.