If you’re lucky, you won’t get to see how spectacular it is.

But the whole region is lucky it’s there, and spectacular – the gleaming, spacious, newly-expanded emergency department at St. Luke’s Miners Campus, Coaldale.

“We went from 11 beds to 14, and now to 25,” said Emergency Department Manager Marshall Bowen. “In the past there were times when we were so full, we had patients on beds in the halls.

“And it wasn’t just more patient space that was needed; it was storage space,” he added. “We also expanded the staff locker room and added a large central nurses’ station.”

The expansion of the Emergency Department at St. Luke’s Miners Campus, a Level IV trauma center, took place in two phases, explained Karen Boksan, director of marketing for St. Luke’s. The expansion from 11 to 14 beds took place via remodeling in the original structure; the 11 additional beds are in a new addition, which also includes the nursing station. Also, a helicopter landing pad is adjacent to the addition, easily accessible if needed.

New equipment includes a 128-slice CT scanner, manufactured by General Electric. Boksan said that St. Luke’s Miners Campus is a “show site” which means that through a partnership with GE, St. Luke’s gets first dibs on the latest in technology.

CT scan technicians Shamine Ramroob and Joe DiBonifazio demonstrated the new scanner. Ramroob explained the “slice” terminology.

“It means that the machine is taking more pictures, faster, providing more coverage and a better-quality scan,” she said. “It’s like a high definition TV.”

Bowen said that the Emergency Department can handle patients who have suffered cardiac events or strokes, as well as other major traumas. The 128-slice CT scanner can quickly check for internal bleeding associated with a stroke, as well as head, chest or abdominal injuries. Ramroob added that the scan can be completing multiple facets, such as a scan of the abdomen and pelvis at the same time as a scan of the lumbar area of the spine.

The results are instantaneous, she said. As the machine is scanning the results are viewable at the same time, via a screen in an adjoining room.

Bowen said that while the upgrades in technology are of utmost importance, St. Luke’s staff adds that other ingredient that’s key to the care of patients.

“Communication is so important,” Bowen said. “Not only between staff members, but also between staff and the patient and the patient’s family.”

St. Luke’s Miners Campus has been awarded a five-star rating (the highest) from Medicare for its top scores on quality, efficiency and patient satisfaction. Its accredited Level IV Trauma Center has been seeing growth for some time and completed the expansion to accommodate its increasing use.

The Emergency Department, which is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, now sees about 20,000 patients a year. From 2017 to 2018, it saw a 16.5 percent growth in trauma cases reported to the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation, which accredits it.

The trauma center is designed to treat the most seriously injured patients.St. Luke’s Miners Emergency Department is also an accredited stroke and chest pain center.

The first phase of the expansion started in early 2017 and took about a year to complete. It included the addition of three patient rooms, another treatment room, and the construction of a Secured Behavioral Health area for patients who are in mental distress that is away from the main part of the unit.

The two rooms in this area include a safe bathroom and shower and allow for patients to be continuously monitored.

The waiting area was also upgraded.