The Metroplex Emergency Department is expanding, and the public is invited to a ground-breaking ceremony on Thursday at 9:30 p.m. at the outpatient entrance on Bell Tower Road.

The emergency department serves approximately 50,000 patients per year. The current site was built to accommodate 25,000 patients annually.

The expansion project consists of adding 14,500 square feet and renovating the current 9,500 square feet. Once completed, the new facility is projected to serve 65,000 to 70,000 patients annually.

"As the population continues to grow, it is important our services grow as well," said Malae Lucas, director of emergency services. "The new emergency department will have four triage areas, which is three more than what we have now. These new areas will have the capacity to initiate treatments sooner, helping to expedite our patient's care more efficiently."

She also said in the current ER, there is one major trauma cardiac room. In the new facility, there will be five.

Even though Ms. Lucas and her team have experienced challenges with a lack of space, they have kept the waiting time below the national average, which is a little more than three hours. "I can only imagine the expected improvement of services once our facility has caught up with the population."