Conrad Prebys Emergency and Trauma Center Now Open

Scripps Health has opened the new Conrad Prebys Emergency & Trauma Center to treat patients at Scripps Mercy Hospital.

The new facility is named in honor of Conrad Prebys, the prominent San Diego developer and philanthropist who donated $10 million to support Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego’s emergency department and trauma services in 2006. The gift remains the largest donation to the not-for-profit hospital in its 121-year history. It marked Mr. Prebys’ first donation to Scripps, which was followed in 2011 with a $45 million donation to build the Scripps Prebys Cardiovascular Institute on the campus of Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla.

“Thanks to the generosity of Conrad Prebys, Scripps can strengthen its mission through expanding facilities and servicing the growing health care needs of our communities,” said Scripps President and CEO Chris Van Gorder. “Because of his $10 million gift, Scripps Mercy San Diego has been able to expand emergency and trauma services and update our facility to meet the growing health care needs of the community we serve.”

The new facility, which opened Jan. 19, features private patient rooms, a department-dedicated CT scanner adjacent to the trauma room, a telemetry system to provide continuous wireless monitoring capabilities within the Emergency Department and a dedicated laboratory to quickly provide test results. Each addition increases the efficiency of care and reduces the volume of patient transportation to different departments.

As a Level I Trauma Center, the highest designation for trauma care assigned by the American College of Surgeons, Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego is nationally recognized for its trauma and injury prevention work. The expansion of the emergency and trauma center further enhances the hospital’s reputation as an industry leader in health care.

The next phase of the project will be the renovation and reopening of the existing emergency department. Upon completion in 2013, Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego will boast a 27,000-square-foot, 49 bed emergency and trauma center dedicated to serving the health care needs of the San Diego community.

Because of its central location and high quality, comprehensive health care services, Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego plays a pivotal role in the health and well-being of residents in San Diego County. Scripps Mercy operates one of the busiest emergency departments and trauma centers in the county with 60,000 patients seen in the emergency department and 2,400 trauma patients treated in 2010.

“The opening of this new center is significant milestone for our patients and our staff,” said Tom Gammiere, vice president and chief executive of Scripps Mercy Hospital. “We are grateful to have a state-of-the-art facility where we can provide the best possible care for our emergency and trauma patients.”