Wilcox ER renovations to start

LIHU‘E — “We will not be closing,” said Jen Chahanovich, president and CEO of the Wilcox Medical Center Friday during the short ceremony broadcast virtually for donors outside the entrance to the Emergency Department.

Work starts Monday on the $5.2-million renovation and upgrades of the Wilcox Medical Center Emergency and Trauma Center.

Donors, including those made by Wilcox physicians and husband-and-wife Peter Stengaard and Jennifer Gross, part-time Kaua‘i residents who have been honored to rename the Trauma Center, have contributed more than $4.25 million toward the project.

“Our emergency and trauma care are a lifeline for our island community,” said Chahanovich.

“Our generous donors who have contributed directly to this project will help us expand our facilities and invest in new technologies and equipment that will benefit Kaua‘i families for generations to come. We are so thankful for this support of our medical center,” she said.

Chahanovich said the safety and health of patients and staff are a top priority in the renovation and upgrades being led by Shioi Construction.

“Through careful planning and project management between our team and our construction partners, all emergency services will remain open and available to patients during the year-long construction project,” said Chahanovich.

The goal of the Emergency Department construction is to expand and upgrade the facilities to continue to provide quality trauma and emergency care for the Kaua‘i community.

This includes the creation of two trauma resuscitation suites and renovation of specialty spaces for behavioral health, infectious control, pediatric rooms and OB-GYN care. There are additional plans to convert semi-private observation bays to private treatment examination rooms.

•••

Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.