Seniors to get own space in St. Anne’s emergency room

7/18/2011

Mercy St. Anne Hospital on Monday introduced a new service for the hospital and community: An area of the emergency room devoted to senior patients.

Five of 26 patient rooms in St. Anne’s emergency room are outfitted with calming paint schemes, non-skid flooring, thicker mattresses, easy-to-read clocks, and other amenities. The five rooms also are grouped together and will have staff trained to care for seniors in the often chaotic emergency room.

“We realize it can be scary and crazy sometimes, depending on the time of day,” said Andrea Price, Mercy’s president and chief executive.

The so-called Senior ER will open immediately, said Brad Bertke, St. Anne’s president and chief executive.