On June 7, Temple Health celebrated an important milestone when we hosted the ribbon-cutting and dedication of the W. Gresham O’Malley III Emergency Department at Temple University Hospital-Episcopal Campus. This project has significantly expanded Episcopal’s Emergency Department and added 10 treatment bays, bringing the ED’s total capacity to 29 bays.
“Temple Health’s mission is to provide the highest-quality healthcare and resources to one of the nation’s most underserved communities,” Michael A. Young, MHA, FACHE, Temple Health’s President and CEO, told attendees at the ceremony. “All of us are here because we believe that everyone—regardless of their social or economic circumstances—deserves access to the very best care. Today, we’re enhancing that access.”
The event also recognized the ongoing project to triple the size of the TUH-Episcopal Campus Crisis Response Center: a 24-hour psychiatric emergency service where individuals experiencing behavioral health crises can receive treatment to stabilize their conditions before moving on to the next level of care. The center, which is expected to open in November 2024, will have enhanced safety and modernization features, and will enable us to see even more patients—about 14,000 annually.
We also celebrated the recent opening of the new Substance Use Disorder Clinic at TUH-Episcopal Campus, which allows Temple team members to make more immediate warm handoffs of patients under treatment at Episcopal.
As if to underscore just how much is taking place on campus, Episcopal also hosted a free outdoor Health Fair at the same time as the ribbon-cutting. The Health Fair offered health screenings, education, and a chance to get connected with social resources. Temple Health team members also distributed 150 portable/rollable shopping carts to community members who frequent the Episcopal food pantry.
A Strong Basis of Support
The Emergency Department expansion project was made possible by the extraordinary support and dedication of Temple Health’s Commonwealth and federal partners, as well as the Episcopal Healthcare Foundation.
“It’s your generous support that makes this moment possible,” said Young. “Your dedication helps our neighborhood and patients get stronger every day.”
Those supporters included several of the ribbon-cutting’s guests of honor: Uri Monson, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Budget; Akbar Hossain, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Policy and Planning; State Senator Christine Tartaglione; and State Representative Danilo Burgos.
“With your commitment, we have been able to make steady improvements to this campus’ infrastructure and establish new programs, including our Substance Use Disorder Clinic, our Emergency Department Navigator Program, and more,” Young said.
Young also thanked U.S. Senator Bob Casey, who has been an important advocate for TUH-Episcopal Campus and Temple Health. “Senator Casey’s support for federal community project spending helped us purchase medical equipment that has been critical to our ability to address our community’s health needs,” he explained.
John G. Robison, Executive Director of TUH-Episcopal Campus, also took to the podium to thank attendees, as well as his team. “I want to recognize our tremendous group of staff,” Robison said. “Our hospital represents a 173-year commitment to serving this community, and I want to thank the folks who come in every day and figure out creative ways to make that happen.”