$1 Million in Federal Funds Expands Norman Regional’s ER

Category: News, Frontline Features, Facilities
Posted On: Feb 5, 2025

Norman Regional Hospital, at I-35 and Tecumseh Road, has expanded its Emergency Department, with the addition of seven brand-new emergency treatment rooms. This expansion allows the hospital to care for up to 50 more patients a day, thanks to a $1 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant from the Cleveland County Board of County Commissioners.

This expansion strengthens the hospital’s ability to care for more patients, particularly during critical situations such as tornadoes, outbreaks of viruses like COVID-19 or influenza, and mass casualty events.

“These rooms will be in great demand in a future pandemic or mass casualty scenarios. If there’s a future rapid influx of patients, these rooms would provide critical space for treatment,” said Aaron Boyd, MD, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Chief Physician Executive, and practicing intensivist.

Designed for Advanced Emergency Care Covering South-Central Oklahoma

Construction on the new rooms began in May 2024, and the rooms officially opened in November 2024.

Brittni McGill, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer, emphasized the importance of the expansion.

“These new rooms are critically important to staff McGill said. “They are all the same which helps our team know exactly where items are located and feel more comfortable in every room.”

One of the unique features of the new rooms is their airflow circulation system, which allows staff to quickly adjust air settings for airborne isolation patients.

“If we have airborne isolation patients such as those with diseases such as flu or COVID our team can easily change the airflow in the room with the flip of a switch,” McGill said.

These rooms are also designed to isolate patients with various viruses, an important feature as hospitals continue to navigate seasonal outbreaks and potential future health crises.

Preparing for Future Health Crises

“When we got the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, it was to prepare for the next pandemic,” said Rod Cleveland, Cleveland County Commissioner for District 1. “We really wanted to make sure that we were ahead of the curve and that we are prepared.”

The timing of this expansion is crucial, as emergency department visits continue to rise.

“Since it is cold and flu season, we’re experiencing an influx of patients,” McGill said. “Before COVID, we would see about 100,000 patients between our three emergency departments, and we are on track to exceed that amount since we have opened this new facility.”

With this investment, Norman Regional remains committed to delivering compassionate, leading-edge care to the community, ensuring that patients receive the highest level of emergency medical attention when they need it most.