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Emergency Department

On December 19, 2012, The Hanson Family Emergency Department and Trauma Center opened on the  first floor of the Dahod Building, providing a new level of emergency services to the Merrimack Valley region. Named for long-time hospital supporters Rick and Martha Hanson and their family, the new department helps Lowell General deliver on its promise of Complete connected careSM.

"We are proud to offer our community a state-of-the-art emergency department and trauma center that's one of the most modern and best-equipped facilities in the region," said Norm Deschene, Lowell General Hospital President and CEO. "This achievement underscores our commitment to ensure faster access and a new level of emergency care to families."

At 28,337 square feet, the new Emergency Department is now over double the size of our prior space, promising an unparalleled level of patient privacy, with 50 private treatment rooms designed to provide space for clinical activities as well as room for family and visitors. In addition, all our emergency department physicians are board certified in Emergency Medicine and nursing station has specialty certifications in Trauma and Pediatric Emergency Care.

Highlights of the new Emergency Department:

  • 50 private patient rooms
  • Six zones designated by level of care including a separate pediatric area
  • New triage and rapid medical evaluation area
  • State-of-the-art CT Scans (Computed Tomography)
  • Two new radiology suites
  • Decontamination area
  • On-site helipad
  • Two distinct trauma rooms
  • Larger covered ambulance bay

Built for patient comfort and privacy

Patients will enjoy the larger private rooms with televisions and upgraded amenities. For our emergency service partners in the community, the upgraded facility includes a covered ambulance bay, a new helipad for fast transport of trauma patients, a specialized ambulance tracking board, dedicated office space, break room and equipment room for emergency medical services personnel. There is also an in-house decontamination area adjacent to the ambulance bay.

"Every step of the design process, from the equipment, furniture, technology and work flow was implemented with input from our patients, physicians and emergency department clinicians to develop a new approach to efficient and personalized care for all our patients depending on their needs," said Nathan MacDonald, MD, FACED, Chief of Emergency Services.

Designed for personalized emergency care

The main lobby of the emergency department is adjacent to a rapid evaluation area that is able to accommodate patients with less severe illnesses or injuries. Our pediatric patients now have their own child-friendly area, with toys, books and a large flat screen TV separated from the main lobby area to help ease the anxiety of parents and children. The new department is adjacent to the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory for cardiac cases needing immediate intervention. For emergent cases, the front of the department serves as a command center for emergency radio calls and ambulance reception. Here two new trauma rooms contain specialized equipment to accommodate the large numbers of personnel and equipment required for our sickest patients, such as those in respiratory distress or surgical emergencies.

In addition, there are full radiology resources within the department, with two X-ray rooms and a new computed tomography (CT) scan machine to speed testing and evaluation. Lowell General Hospital is proud to offer comprehensive emergency services at our main campus as well as our Saints campus located at One Hospital Drive in Lowell.

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