The Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Emergency Departmet (ED) is preparing for a renovation and expansion to increase future capacity and serve growing community needs. The renovation work will begin Monday, Feb. 28, and the department is expected to open in 2024.
The ED location on Junipero Street will not change. The new entry remains accessible from the same parking lot as the previous entrance, and the driveway remains on Junipero Street. Staff will be onsite to assist patients and visitors arriving for care.
Portions of the original ED will be closed as a temporary interior wall is placed to allow ongoing work during the expansion. This will result in a temporary reduction of ED space during the first 18 months of the project, and staff are prepared to manage and adapt workflows in the reconfigured space.
When the project is complete, the emergency department will have an innovative care model with custom-designed space for improved workflows and increased efficiencies, all with the goal of improving the patient experience.
With more than 40,000 visits each year, the busy emergency department will continue to care for the community throughout the project.
To help connect the community to convenient care, Cottage Health offers three emergency departments, in Santa Barbara, Goleta and Santa Ynez, as well as 12 Cottage Urgent Care centers with locations from Ventura to San Luis Obispo, and Cottage Virtual Care online. Community members should not delay seeking care when they need it.
For more about Cottage Health, visit www.cottagehealth.org.