Debut of new emergency room

Hancock County Health Systems is showcasing it's new emergency room overhaul.

As the pandemic presses on access to high quality health care is essential.

Today kimt news three's nick kruszalnicki got to tour a local hospital making upgrades.

He joins us live now with a closer look.

Xxx katie ?

"* i got to go inside hancock county health systems to look at their emergency room overhaul.

With covid?

"*19 case counts continuing to rise ?

"* the remodel couldn't have come at a better time.

Xxx "each room has a door, we'll be able to keep patients safe from exposure from other people.

Which was a little bit of a challenge in our old emergency room space."

Doctor dawn peterson says the new design of the emergency room has some advantages when it comes to fighting covid?

"*19.

The heating and cooling systems are also going to be helpful.

"the air handler that we installed up on the roof has hepa filters, it has ultraviolet lighting to kill bacteria as the air flows through the air handler.

So that's something that we never had before.

We do have it up on the surgery floor."

Doctor peterson is excited to be working in the new space.

She tells me it will provide big city?

"*like medical care in rural hancock county.

"these facilities are going to provide us a lot more space to see patients.

Brand new equipment and upgraded equpment to see patients and provide much patient privacy, when we are evaluating patients and treating them."

Hancock county health system c?

"*e?

"*o laura zwiefel (zwe* says the hospital is ready to handle the medical needs of the community ?

"* through cov*- 19 and into the future.

"throughout the whole pandemic i am so very proud and appreciative of our medical staff and our staff here.

They have while touring the hospital ?

"*i learned their labratory is equipped with the new rapid testing system for covid?

"*19.

All the remodeling should be finished in february.

Live in mason city, nick kruszalnicki, kimt news 3.

Thanks nick.

In total, the entire hospital remodeling project will cost eight point four