Fairview Plans $39M Emergency Center Expansion

Fairview Southdale Hospital plans to build a $39 million state-of-the-art emergency center in Edina—and it's hoping the community can help chip in $15 million in donations, according to the organization.

Hospital officials say the emergency department has largely been unchanged since the hospital was founded in 1965. Although it was designed for 30,000 visit a year, it had nearly 43,000 visits last year.

The expanded department will be 2.5 times bigger than the existing facility. The number of rooms will increase from 30 to 43. It will have a new rooftop helipad, larger specially equipped spaces for trauma and heart emergencies and a new observation space to monitor patients who need further care but do not need to be admitted.

“We’re not just trying to renovate the space,” said Bradley Beard, president of Fairview Southdale Hospital. “We’re redesigning care for people who come to the emergency department, in a way that best meets their needs and best utilizes our abilities.”

It will be named the Carl N. Platou Emergency Center, after the former Fairview president. It is currently slated to open in 2015.

The project has so far raised $7.5 million in donations toward the $15 million goal. Those who want to make a donation can go here to find out more about the different ways to give. Fairview is also asking people to share their stories about a visit they had to Fairview.

“This project will ensure, as our communities grow, they can get the treatment they need in an environment that meets our standards of healing, privacy and comfort,” said Robert Solheim, chair of the hospital’s board of trustees. “We are grateful to the donors who are making this important project possible.”

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