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ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital has officially opened Phase 2 of its expanded Emergency & Trauma Center, marking another major milestone in the hospital’s Trauma & Critical Care Tower project.

Hospital leaders say the first patients were treated in the newly completed section Wednesday morning. The expansion adds a larger lobby, six new private triage rooms, 14 private vertical treatment bays and nine additional private patient care rooms. The upgrade also includes new employee spaces and a conference room.

“This phase completes our vision and helps ensure we provide exceptional care and superior service in the region’s largest and most advanced emergency center,” said Susie McKay, Emergency Center Director.

A key feature of the expansion is a six-bed Behavioral Health Emergency Center, a secure and specialized space designed to provide immediate crisis stabilization and mental health treatment separate from the main emergency department.

With Phase 2 complete, the Emergency & Trauma Center now spans 53,000 square feet, nearly tripling the size of the former 19,000-square-foot ER. Hospital officials say emergency visits increased by 6% last year following the opening of the new tower, and they expect patient volumes to continue rising.

The project also includes a new second-floor corridor connecting the tower to the main hospital, updates to the Labor & Delivery waiting room, and a renovated Obstetrics Emergency Center staffed 24/7 by obstetricians.

Hospital leaders say the upgrades will improve patient flow, enhance safety, and strengthen lifesaving care for the Albany community for years to come.

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