Opening day for North Alabama’s first freestanding emergency department
MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) – A long-awaited addition has finally come to the city of Harvest and its surrounding communities.
On Tuesday morning, Crestwood Medical Center opened its doors to the first freestanding emergency department in North Alabama for patients.
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Doctors, nurses and staff commemorated the moment with a group photo outside the office early Tuesday morning. The staff of about 40 people trickled in before doors opened at 7 a.m. Signs were uncovered and doors were unlocked, signaling its readiness to serve the community.
For people living outside the Huntsville area who find themselves in emergencies, it takes longer for them to get medical care in rural communities like Harvest and the surrounding areas such as Northwestern Madison County and Northeastern Limestone County. In addition, it puts a burden on local emergency medical services like HEMSI.
Emergency Medicine Director, Ric Koler says these rural areas are ones that Crestwood Medical Center has not been able to serve well.
Now people in need of immediate care will be able to receive emergency care for illnesses and injuries at the same level of care as any other emergency room closer to home. With a new location and equipment to match, Koler says patients can still expect to see familiar faces from Crestwood Medical Center’s primary office.
“We’ve handpicked our premium providers and team members that we had there who were really customer driven and at the high top of their game,” said Koler. “So, the docs are all the same docs, the nurses are all the same nurses, the same techs. So we grabbed a really enthusiastic crew, people who are problem solvers and excited about this opportunity.”
The Medical Center is Equipped with new devices including CT Scanners, a specialized trauma room, and laboratory services. The 24-hour medical center is located off Burwell Road in Harvest.
Koler said the department has already seen a few patients since opening Tuesday morning.
The Crestwood Freestanding Emergency Department is located at 1337 Burwell Road in Harvest, on the corner of Burwell Road and Highway 53.
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