Brighton Park Emergency Provides Just-in-Time Access
Summerville Medical Center and Trident Health officially opened their newest location Aug. 24. Brighton Park Emergency, a free-standing emergency room at 1626 N. Main St. in Summerville, will expand access to quality health services to residents in Cane Bay, Nexton, Del Webb, Carnes Crossroads and other areas of Berkeley County.
“We have seen significant growth in the Summerville area and across the Lowcountry,” said Summerville Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Jeff Taylor. “That, coupled with the added pressure of the pandemic, has been taxing on existing facilities and staff. We’re proud that our years of hard work can now help decompress that current strain and improve access to our neighbors who need it the most right now.”
The $9.4-million Brighton Park Emergency is an 11-bed facility occupying 10,800 square feet. It will provide 24/7 access to emergency care services both for children and adults and is staffed by board-certified ER physicians and clinicians. The facility features full lab services, radiology capabilities including CT and X-ray, and telemedicine options for stroke and behavioral health.
Brighton Park’s opening, though slightly delayed due to COVID-19 concerns, comes as Summerville Medical Center also works to expand its emergency room, pharmacy, lab and dietary services. According to Taylor, the hospital’s in-house emergency room saw more than 70,000 patients in 2019, ranking it among the busiest ERs in the area.
“Brighton Park is just part of a larger $100 million, three-year commitment we’ve made to expand our services in order to meet the growing needs of our local community,” Taylor said. “A significant portion of that investment is aimed at emergency services.”
Phase 1 of Summerville Medical Center’s expansion on campus opened in June of this year and featured 13,448 square feet of new building construction, a new pediatric ER with 10 patient beds and a dedicated waiting room, an expanded and remodeled ER entrance, a renovated registration and lobby and VIP parking for new and expecting mothers.
“The opening of our ER expansion was perfectly timed for the spike we saw in COVID cases,” Taylor said. “Phase 2 of the project is ongoing and will be completed in 2021. We have also been renovating our inpatient units and are wrapping up phase 1 renovations in our ICU and third floor medical/surgical unit. This all furthers our mission to provide care when and where it’s needed.”
When completed, the expansion will see Summerville Medical Center’s adult ER access grow to 31 patient beds.
Taylor, who took the helm as CEO in February 2020, is most excited to see how these additions to the Summerville Medical Center system improve access and ease travel burdens for local residents.
“Being a free-standing ER not attached to a hospital, Brighton Park gives us the ability to provide the same level of care that patients would receive in a hospital setting but much closer to home for a great many of our community members who already have to drive a significant distance to see a doctor,” said Taylor.
The health care system celebrated the opening of Brighton Park with a small and socially distanced ribbon cutting Aug. 21 and a drive-thru community social the following day.
“We had to adjust to the current environment and get creative to hold safe celebrations honoring this milestone event,” Taylor said. “It’s been a challenging year, but I am truly honored to be leading this organization and our incredible workforce. I’ve never been more proud to work in health care than with this outstanding team.”
Brighton Park Emergency, located near the Nexton subdivision and exit 199 of Interstate 26, is now open and actively seeing patients. To learn more, visit www.tridenthealthsystem.com/BrightonPark.
By Meredith A. Hagen
