New emergency department at the Misericordia Community Hospital transforms patient and staff experience
February 27, 2025
By Jocelyn Wady, communications advisor
In November 2023, the new emergency department at the Misericordia Community Hospital opened its doors, changing the way acute care is delivered in northwest Edmonton. For over a year, this state-of-the-art facility and its dedicated staff have been serving a growing community with high-quality, patient-focused care.
One of the key elements in providing excellent care is space, says Jo Ann Molloy, senior operating officer for the Misericordia hospital.
“The old emergency department was very small and very dated. The new emergency department is three times the size of the old department, has all brand-new equipment and really focuses on the safety and comfort of patients, as well as the workflow of staff.”
The old emergency department received about 50,000 visits per year in a space designed to serve 25,000. The new emergency department was built to accommodate 60,000 visits annually — with room to expand — and includes enhanced space for people with mental health concerns.
Jessica Fryk, program manager for the emergency department, says that the new department has seen a 20 per cent increase in visits so far.
“We are constantly monitoring, watching, listening, learning, growing and seeing how we can do things better,” says Jessica. “And the space really allows for that. There is a lot of flexibility in the design that was intentional.”
Evelyn MacKinnon, interim senior operating officer at the Misericordia hospital, says that the design for the new emergency department was done very thoughtfully to address infection prevention and control and to ensure patients move forward — physically and perceptually — in their care as they progress through the treatment areas.
"We had to enlarge the footprint, but we also had to look at how we delivered care within that footprint. That was done very strategically to ensure that patients were cared for in the right space, by the right provider."
Interim senior operating officer, Misericordia Community Hospital
This thoughtfulness has paid off, and the impact on patients, staff and families has been tremendous, says Evelyn.
“(Physicians) immediately saw and felt the difference (the design) made. Patients were moving forward in their care. There was enough physical space for patients to be cared for and assessed.”
And despite a 20 per cent increase in patients visiting the new emergency department in the first year, patients and families have shared that the atmosphere feels reassuring and professional.
“I’ve actually had patients and their families comment on the calmness,” says Evelyn. “They’ll recognize it’s busy. They can see staff running around. There are a lot of patients in different areas. But there is a sense of calm. It’s not chaos.”
Although there were lofty aspirations for the construction of the new emergency department, the vision has come to fruition, says Jo Ann.
“I would say the project has been successful in achieving its goals. We were able to open the doors of the emergency department on time and on budget. We have increased our staffing such that we are fully staffed. It has been an attraction. We are now able to provide care extremely well.”
The design of the department also allows plenty of room for adaptation. “We have the ability to change gears and make tweaks along the way that will continue to improve patient care,” says Jessica.
The Misericordia hospital leadership notes there is still more work to be done at the site, particularly due to growth in south and west Edmonton and the Valley Line West light rail transit extension scheduled to open in 2028.
“Our volume has increased by at least 20 per cent, and we do not have the bed base to support that increased activity,” says Jo Ann. “We need to address the bed tower very urgently. That is something I want to see for future development of the site.”
Evelyn is also hopeful for future development at the Misericordia hospital.
“The emergency department was funded and built as Phase 1 of a multiphase approach towards a new campus for the Misericordia,” Evelyn says. “In the big picture, we really do need new development at the Misericordia to meet the growing demands of the community.”