KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The newly-expanded emergency department at Florida Hospital Kissimmee opened its doors Thursday.
The expansion has more than doubled the hospital bed count.
Florida Hospital said the expansion will help meet a real need in the community.
Florida hospital Kissimmee celebrated the grand opening of its $7 million emergency room expansion, nearly tripling its size.
The expansion included adding 20 new beds, five of them children-friendly rooms.
Now, the ER will have a total of 35 patient beds.
The expansion also included a remodeled waiting room, two new trauma rooms and a results waiting room.
Hospital officials also pointed out Florida Hospital Kissimmee is now a designated stroke facility.
WFTV found out that nearly 20 years ago, the emergency department saw 15,000 patients and this year, the ER is projected to see more than 48,000 patients.
The administrator for Florida Hospital Kissimmee, Jeff Villaneuva, said, "We're growing every year about six to eight percent in our emergency department visits, and when we had 15 emergency rooms, it was very, very tight space.
Walter Ramos visited his grandmother, and he said he's relieved to know the expansion means shorter wait time for patients.
"It's great to see central Florida expanding their medical field," said Ramos.
"Not only have we added space, but we've added nurses, we've added physicians," said Villaneuva.
Florida Hospital said the expansion was needed to meet the growing demand.
Florida Hospital Kissimmee is also in the process of building a new $60 million patient tower and it will add 80 new hospital beds.
WFTV
