Davis Regional Medical Center officially opened its new emergency room to the public Monday morning.
The larger facility, which opened at 7 a.m., is adjacent to the hospital's main entrance.
Dwight Roberts, 35, was the first patient to be treated in the new 15,000-square-foot facility.
"I was impressed with the help I received," he said.
Roberts was treated for pulled ligaments in his foot. The nearly two hours he spent in the emergency room was a pleasant experience.
"Everyone was courteous, more courteous than any hospital I'd been in," he said.
By mid-day, the ER staff had treated 28 patients in the new 19-bed facility.
Each room is private and has a flat-screen television.
With the expansion, nurses and physicians now have bigger work spaces.
ER Director Tammy Brooks said the additional staff and upgraded equipment will enable the staff to better meet the needs of the community.
"We just think it's absolutely awesome," she said.
An increase in volume warranted a larger more efficient use of space, according to Medical Director Steve Greer.
"We were 15 percent beyond capacity of what (the old) ER could handle last year," he said.
The old emergency room opened in March 1984, according to Davis spokeswoman Janie Stikeleather.
"It's always been a great ER and now it's going to be even better," she said.
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