CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – The emergency room at LewisGale Hospital Montgomery in Christiansburg is celebrating its first anniversary, having served 13,000 patients since opening its doors as part of a $14 million investment in local healthcare.
“This facility has been needed here for a long time. It was a huge investment, a huge chance, but it looks like it’s paying off,” said Christiansburg Mayor Mike Barber.
The strategic location of the emergency room, particularly its proximity to Interstate 81, has proven crucial for the community’s emergency medical needs.
“The location of the ER was so incredibly important to us. Knowing how much traffic is on Interstate 81 every day and we wanted to make sure they have a resource and an access point for emergency care,” said Lauren Dudley, CEO of LewisGale Hospital Montgomery.
Life-Saving Impact
The facility’s importance was demonstrated when young Naia, traveling with her mother Cassondra Ball to Disney World for her birthday, experienced a severe allergic reaction while driving on I-81. Thanks to the emergency room’s proximity and swift medical response, Naia was treated and able to resume her birthday journey the following day.
“When you’re dealing with somebody’s life, time is of the essence,” Barber emphasized.
Enhanced Emergency Response
The addition of this emergency room has significantly improved first responder efficiency in the region. Its location allows emergency personnel to transport patients more quickly and return to service faster for other calls.
“It’s quite comforting to know because beforehand you drive 20 minutes to the campus or 20 minutes up the interstate. This is a gamechanger,” Barber noted.
The facility also serves as a crucial stabilization point for patients who may need transfer to other trauma centers. According to Dudley, “If we need to stabilize here, get them stable and then take them to another trauma center, this is a great central location to do that and do that effectively.”
“Right time, right place, right location,” concluded Mayor Barber, summarizing the facility’s first year of operation.