You Asked, WCH DelivERs:  A New ER For Our Community

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THE RICHARD AND DONNA SMETZER EMERGENCY CENTER AT WOOSTER COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

Exciting progress is underway—our brand-new ER and hospital entrance are under construction, set to open in 2026 to bring faster, more advanced care right from the front door.

• BiggER:
  • Increase capacity to accommodate more ER patients.
  • Modern facility with a spacious, comfortable waiting area.
  • Specialized ER rooms for trauma, cardiovascular, and stroke patients.
• BettER:
  • New hospital entrance with lab services and other patient conveniences.
  • Improved patient flow and ease of access to various hospital departments.
  • Enhanced hospital security.
• ClosER:
  • Location of ER is conveniently close to the entry of the hospital campus.
  • Closer parking to facilitate easier access for patients and family members.
  • EMS entrance for quick, life-saving care in heart and stroke emergencies.

Stay ClosER.  Get BettER.  Support YOUR new ER (Emergency Center)!

With the pandemic behind us and our mission in clear focus, now is the time to build boldly for the future.

The need for new facilities to fulfill our promise to all our communities continues to demand action. Philanthropic support is absolutely necessary to meet future needs and assure that we can continue to offer best-in-class health care right here, without compromise.

We need your help in this cause. There are a number of opportunities which may align with your interests. We invite you to join us in making Wooster Community Hospital’s latest and boldest innovation a reality.

To learn more, please call Angela Rincon, Director of Philanthropy at 330.263.8701, or email arincon@wchosp.org.

Explore these videos for a deeper understanding of the new ER (Emergency Center) project!
Building an ER for the Future: Discover PAEC

Supporting PAEC: Keep it Local, Keep it Ours

Support the Emergency Center Campaign!

The Campaign for The Richard and Donna Smetzer Emergency Center at Wooster Community Hospital.

For WCH, innovation has always been about delivering great health care here in Wayne County. Continuous quality improvement has been at the core of that effort, and one major reason why WCH stands today in the top 2% of all hospitals nationwide.

Question is, how do you design a hospital for continuous improvement today... and tomorrow? To ensure WCH can maintain that quality of care – and access to it – as populations grow and age, economic challenges abound, and the health care landscape around us continue to evolve?

On April 22, 2024, we broke ground which is the answer to the questions.

The New ER (Emergency Center).

The project encompasses a brand-new, state-of-the-art ER (Emergency Center), a new Main Hospital Entrance, and relocation of key Hospital departments.

This new “gateway” to WCH will be much more than a larger ER (Emergency Center) and new façade. The design will provide a far better “first contact” for patients, visitors, and EMT first responders... and vastly improve the way patients, visitors, physicians and staff move throughout the Hospital.

It will incorporate evidence-based design and best practices as it allows the ER (Emergency Center) to respond more effectively to increased patient traffic generated by our status as a Certified Chest Pain Center and Certified Stroke Center. And, of course, provide a far more comfortable ER experience for patients and families.

At a cost of approximately $34.2 million and targeted to open in early 2026, the new ER (Emergency Center) will revolutionize the ways we can fulfill our mission, vision and values.