Intermountain Press Release

American Fork, Utah—American Fork Hospital opened three new rooms Friday in its Emergency Department in order to help care for the record-setting number of patients coming through its doors.

In 2007, approximately 28,700 patients were treated in the hospital's ED, an increase of almost 13 percent over 2006. Between 2002 and 2007, the number of patients being seen has increased by nearly 21 percent. And those numbers aren't expected to slow down in the foreseeable future.

"It was an extremely busy year this past year and these new rooms will give us a little more capacity to help out with our immediate needs," said Mike Olson, hospital administrator. "We appreciate everyone putting up with our dust while the rooms were under construction."

With the new construction complete, the hospital's ED now has 17 patient rooms. That number includes two cardiac trauma rooms, an ENT (ears, nose and throat) room and an OB/GYN room. Seventy-five team members and 12 physicians staff the department, which consistently meets its "door-to-doctor" goal of 30 minutes.

Lori Bertelsen, department manager, said her staff worked hard to make sure the construction work didn't impact patients. Their efforts paid off as patients rated the service and care in the department higher than in the months prior to the project.

"We're very excited to have it done and our doctors even said it was the most painless remodel project that we've ever done," said Bertelsen.