Open House Planned at Emergency Facility

The public will be able to tour a new emergency medical center and take part in a health fair and other activities at an open house Saturday for St. Joseph Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Orange County’s new $11-million center with a special area for children.

A dedication ceremony Friday will celebrate a successful five-year campaign to raise funds for the center, St. Joseph Hospital spokeswoman Valerie Orleans said. About $5.5 million was collected through private donations, she said.

The new emergency facility is much larger than the old one, Orleans said, and has six admitting stations, a central triage area, a central nursing station and a 24-hour emergency pharmacy.

“We’re moving from 12 treatment areas up to 52,” Orleans said. “And at 22,000 square feet, if it’s not the largest center in Orange County, it’s certainly one of the largest.”

The new emergency center can accommodate as many as 260 patients a day. The current average is 150 patients a day, officials said.

The pediatric area, Orleans said, is painted with warm colors and decorated to create an environment that is not as cold and sterile as the average hospital setting.

“It’s very child-friendly,” Orleans said. “It’s a warm, soothing environment for kids.”

Officials plan to dedicate the center Friday, from 1 to 2 p.m.

The open house will be Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will include self-guided tours, a health fair, live entertainment, raffles, refreshments and an appearance by Wild Wing, the Mighty Ducks mascot.

The new Emergency Services Center is on the St. Joseph Hospital campus at 1100 W. Stewart Drive. Information: (714) 771-8075.