The medical care that Emergency Departments (EDs) provide within a hospital is well known—from the hands-on treatment staff provide for everyday injuries and illnesses, to life-saving situations.
But what may not be as prominent in the minds of the general public is the need within an ED for an effective and supportive environment to go along with treatment.
That’s an area Richmond Hospital Foundation is addressing with its $1.38 million ED Mental Health Campaign to establish patient-centred care in a newly renovated Mental Health Zone.
Anticipated to open in August 2025, the new zone is designed to treat patients in a calming environment, away from the busiest areas of the ED that can heighten anxiety and discomfort.
“The need for a dedicated mental health zone in the current ED at Richmond Hospital is essential,” says Dr. Richard Chan, an emergency physician at Richmond Hospital. “Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increasing number of patients experiencing mental health symptoms coming into the Emergency Department. These can be patients experiencing anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance or decreased ability to perceive reality.”
“The new portion of the ED will help shield patients from an environment that can provide too much stimuli (it can be loud, bright, disruptive, chaotic) which can worsen symptoms, causing some to leave, even before getting an assessment done or receiving treatment,” Dr. Chan says.
“Improved monitoring in a dedicated mental health zone will also enable staff to respond promptly to patient needs, ensuring everyone receives the highest standard of care,” Dr. Chan says.
The new space will include private consultation rooms to ensure patients receive care with a greater degree of privacy and dignity.
The continued emphasis on providing improved mental health care in an ED is in keeping with the times and changing needs of the local population. Physicians and health care teams are always trying to do the best they can, but, in the case of Richmond Hospital’s ED, are limited by the current facility’s design.
“A thoughtfully re-designed mental health zone within the existing ED will help enhance patient healing and improve health care staff efficiency, ultimately increasing all patients’ chances of receiving the right care when they need it most.”
“It would mean a lot for the patients, knowing that people in the community care about them, and that this new, dedicated space is made possible by people who want to help them,” Dr. Chan says.
Learn more about the campaign and how you can support this vital project by visiting richmondhospitalfoundation.com/campaign/ed-mental-health/
