The sooner, the better.

When you need medical care in a hurry — whether it’s a life-threatening crisis, accidental injury or one of those persistent problems that starts to worry you during the hours your doctor’s office is closed for the day — minutes matter.

Got a Minute? That's how long it will take you to read these 10 QUICK FACTS about the Tri-City Medical Center Emergency Department Expansion & Renovation. Starting...now

In an emergency, no one wants to wait.

Through your financial support of a new Tri-City Medical Center action plan, you can help dramatically decrease the time you and your loved ones might wait for emergency care. And you will have the opportunity to make a real difference in other important ways, too.

Indispensable Asset

Among the many attractive features of the Tri-City area, residents say there is only one truly indispensable community asset — Tri-City Medical Center’s Emergency Department.

Tri-City Medical Center is the first place more than 384,000 residents of the Tri-City area count on for emergency medical care. More than 60,000 people — or one out of every six who lives in the area — came to the Tri-City Medical Center Emergency Department last year. And no wonder: Scripps La Jolla is 25 miles away; neither Palomar-Pomerado nor Scripps Encinitas is easy to get to quickly.

Just as critical as its nearby location, the Tri-City Medical Center Emergency Department provides truly excellent care.
And Tri-City Medical Center emergency physicians, nurses and technicians live in the area. Each one shares a keen personal interest in the health and safety of their home communities.

Relentless Growth

Tri-City Medical Center is the second-busiest emergency department in San Diego County.

Things aren’t likely to get any less busy, either.

The population of the Tri-City region is growing steadily at 3% per year. But visits to the Emergency Department are increasing at 3% to 5% a year, faster than the rate of population growth. The last time any major upgrades of the Emergency Department were performed was more than a decade ago, in 1992. Between 1992 and now, the population of the area served by the Tri-City Medical Center Emergency Department has increased by nearly 30%.

Emergency Department space dating back more than a decade simply cannot keep pace with present-day community need. The result is more time spent waiting for emergency care. During peak hours between noon and midnight most days of the week, patients in the Emergency Department — perhaps you or your family — are waiting anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours or more for treatment of non-life threatening conditions.

When someone is hurt, sick or scared, that is much too long.

Quick Fact #2 More than 60,000 people came to the Emergency Department last year.

Listening, Planning, Moving Ahead

The leadership of Tri-City Medical Center has listened carefully to community concerns throughout the Tri-City area.

Utilizing existing space — rather than incurring the burdensome expense of constructing new facilities — the Tri-City Medical Center Emergency Department is adding 11 beds to its current capacity, increasing the present bed count from 30 to 41. The new beds will comprise a fast track unit devoted to patients with less serious problems who do not require close medical observation or multiple high-tech tests. Complete with its own
waiting room, the fast track unit is an attractive solution for patients who do not welcome the prospect of waiting in close proximity to others with more serious conditions.

Quick Fact #3 The population of the Tri-City area has increased by about 30% since the last major Emergency Department expansion in 1992.

Everyone who seeks out care will benefit directly from the positive effects of the fast-track unit, since adding 11 more beds will increase overall capacity. Additional capacity, an increase in beds amounting to almost 40%, will diminish waiting time throughout the Emergency Department. Installing a new CT scan room committed to diagnosing Emergency Department patients will save time as well.

And the renovation of the Emergency Department goes far beyond adding more space. New forefront technology such as electronic patient records, digital ordering, patient registration at the bedside and other time-saving strategies will usher in a quiet revolution in how emergency care is delivered.

Added space coupled with the latest technology will allow choreographing the complex interactions among physicians, nurses, patients and families to achieve fast high-quality diagnosis and treatment.

The result? The average time it takes to be seen by a doctor will be significantly reduced.

Quick Fact #4 Emergency care for which Tri-City Medical Center does not receive payment adds up to millions of dollars each year (and the average non-insured patient is someone who is working two or more jobs).

Healthy Workplace Partnership

Renovation of the Emergency Department also includes plans that will allow more businesses to take advantage of valuable WorkPartners services.

Helping to bolster the productivity of companies doing business in the Tri-City area, WorkPartners offers a comprehensive approach to workplace health, spanning injury prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.

Quick Fact #5 While Tri-City Medical Center receives nearly $5 million in tax revenue annually - that's only about 2.2% of the medical center's $224,000,000 operating budget.

Breath of Life

Another major component of the Emergency Department renovation project will relocate pulmonary rehabilitation to new facilities. Nearly doubling its square footage, pulmonary rehabilitation will offer convenient parking, up to date exercise equipment and a sunny environment complemented by large view windows.

Through customized education, monitored exercise programs, and personalized attention from dedicated staff professionals, the Pulmonary Rehabilitation program teaches patients with respiratory problems how to increase strength and endurance, properly use medication, and live fully with chronic shortness of breath.

Quick Fact #6 Emergency Department renovation also includes additional space for the WorkPartners occupational health program, designed to boost productivity of local businesses through workplace safety...

Shared Responsibility

Clearly a solution that makes sense, renovation of the Emergency Department — including major improvements in store for WorkPartners and Pulmonary Rehabilitation — began with close cooperation between Tri-City Medical Center and Tri-City communities.

Now, philanthropic investment by the medical center’s neighbors holds the key to successful completion. The Board of Directors of the Tri-City Hospital Foundation has launched a grass-roots fundraising campaign to generate $1,000,000 in community support.

And these days, community support — your support — is the catalyst that turns potential and planning into help and healing.

Quick Fact #7 ...and new facilities for the pulmonary rehabilitation program to continue to better the lives of patients with chronic respiratory problems.

The Emergency Department is required to care for everyone, period. Full insurance, no insurance, inadequate insurance — treatment is based solely on the severity of the patient’s problem rather than the size of their bank account. By the way, the typical uninsured patient seen in the Emergency Department is someone who is working two or more jobs.

While Tri-City Medical Center receives about $5 million in tax revenue annually — that’s only 2.2% of the medical center’s $224,000,000 operating budget.

Your philanthropic support is the only realistic source of funding available for expansion of the Emergency Department, WorkPartners and pulmonary rehabilitation services.

Quick Fact #8 This entire project is the result of close cooperation between the medical center and people who live in Tri-City communities.

Tangible Benefits

Your philanthropic investment is nothing less than an opportunity for you to personally help safeguard the health of everyone who lives in the Tri-City area, 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

You will also be assuring high-quality medical care tailored to the needs of employers and employees throughout the region. And your gift is critical to creating new futures for people coping with respiratory problems.

What’s more, your gift to the Emergency Department actually gives back to you. You will have the peace of mind of knowing that when minutes matter, you and your loved ones can count on emergency care that is right on hand — and right on time.

Quick Fact #9 Private support - your support - is the key to success.

Please make your gift today.

Thank you.

Quick Fact #10 There are many personal advantages that come with making your gift, including peace of mind. After all, you never know when an emergency will happen to you or someone you love.

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