Children's Hospital Unveils Improved Emergency Room

ST. PAUL (WCCO) -- The Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota in St. Paul has a new way to make kids and their families feel comfortable -- at a time when they really need it.

They showed off a big overhaul of their emergency room Thursday morning.

The improvements are a huge upgrade for the patients and the staff. Children's Hospital in St. Paul and Minneapolis are among the busiest pediatric emergency centers in the country. The staff sees more than 40,000 patients a year, though it was only designed to handle 25,000.

On Thursday, they had a ribbon cutting in St. Paul to celebrate the $2 million expansion. The renovation includes a new entrance, five new patient rooms and a patient triage area.

The director of the ER said the changes will shorten the wait times for patients and also provide a more soother environment.