Amherst, N.S., regional hospital getting larger ER to serve patients more efficiently

Amherst, NS, hospital expanding The regional hospital in Amherst, N.S., is expanding.

The regional hospital is Amherst, N.S., is expanding to include a larger emergency department.

The redevelopment project at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre will include a new, larger ER and a permanent 12-station renal dialysis unit.

“We’re responding to the current and future needs of health care in the region by strengthening emergency health care and lifesaving dialysis treatment,” said Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton, MLA for Cumberland South, on behalf of Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson.

The province says the new ER will be nearly twice the size of the current one and have its own entrance. The new design is expected to reduce wait times by improving patient intake and flow and will provide a modern workplace for health-care providers.

The new emergency department will have the capacity to serve more than 23,000 patients each year, according to a provincial news release.

“As an emergency physician, I see first-hand how essential a well-designed space is to provide timely, high-quality care. The new emergency department will transform how we care for our community – improving patient flow, enhancing privacy and creating a better environment for managing complex cases," said Dr. Brittney MacDougall, site specialty lead for emergency medicine at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre.

"We’ll be able to give people the care they need more efficiently and with greater comfort. It’s a meaningful step forward for our patients, their families and our entire team.”

The new 12-station renal dialysis unit will replace the current temporary five-station unit.

The new unit and the modular dialysis unit announced in September for Saint Hospital in Springhill, N.S., will mean dialysis patients from Cumberland County will no longer need to travel long distances for treatment.

“The new hemodialysis unit at Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre will increase the number of dialysis patients who can access treatment in this part of the province. By being attached to the hospital, the unit also allows admitted patients to continue their dialysis," said Dr. Steven Soroka, senior medical director with the Nova Scotia Health Renal Program.

Final design work will start soon and several tender packages will be issued, with the first in early 2025.

The province says site preparation will start this winter, and construction is expected to begin in the spring.

The entire redevelopment project is expected to be finished by the end of 2027.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.