While no one wants to be admitted to a hospital emergency room, the upcoming completion of phase-one construction at Riverside Walter Reed Hospital should make those difficult times a bit more bearable for patients.

The department will soon transition to a new space featuring three major treatment rooms, a state-of-the-art trauma room, and eight private rooms. In addition, a new dedicated nurse’s station for the space, as well as technology and space upgrades, should improve patient privacy and comfort.

According to Shannon Fedors, director of Marketing, Strategy & Development, the ambulance bay will remain in the same location and there will be plenty of temporary signage during the transition period.

In addition, there will be a couple of seats added to each waiting area with separate spaces for family or visitors and “higher acuity patients.” Fedors added, “We’re concentrating very hard on keeping higher and lower acuity patients separate.&rdqu...