The Tennova Healthcare Clarksville Freestanding Emergency Department is the first of its kind in Clarksville, TN. Located on Highway 76 immediately off Interstate 24 at Exit 11, this satellite emergency department is quick to find and access for those seeking emergent care. The facility includes eight treatment rooms with on-site radiology and lab services staffed by emergency physicians and nurses 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The new freestanding emergency department is the result of several years of planning by Tennova Healthcare Clarksville’s facility leadership and Wold to expand emergent services to the southern region of their community and offload volume from the main hospital emergency department, which is constantly stressed.
Increasing access, improving visibility, and improving operational efficiency were important factors in designing this new space that serves as a supplementary location for patients to receive emergent care within the county. One of the key design decisions to increase throughput was to create a small results waiting space near the waiting room, visible from the main nurse station. Patients can be triaged quickly in one of the two triage bays by a licensed practitioner where they can then follow several paths for treatment. Lower acuity patients can be treated and discharged directly from this area or sent to results waiting for additional follow up and imaging services without tying up valuable bed space. Higher acuity patients can be sent directly to a room to await further treatment. This approach has decreased waiting and treatment times, and improved the patient experience.
The building itself is Green Globes certified for building efficiency and is constructed of a combination of brick, stone, glass, and EIFS housing state-of-the-art mechanical and electrical systems. The site is designed with rigorous stormwater management practices in mind to effectively treat storm run-off prior-to infiltration. The result is a building that operates more efficiently and provides a better working environment for its staff and patients.