Trinity Health completes patient transition | News, Sports, Jobs

Trinity staff check in patients at the new Healthcare Campus on Sunday morning as the hospital officially transitions all departments to the new facility.

A sign went up at the old emergency room entrance at Trinity Health’s hospital on Burdick Expressway early Sunday morning, announcing that all services at the location had closed, and directing the public to seek their services at the new Healthcare Campus and Medical District on 37th Avenue Southwest.

With staff and departments already mostly transitioned into their new digs earlier in the week, the process also began in earnest to bring emergency medical services and patients across town as well at long last.

Trinity’s ambulance service along with drivers and vehicles from surrounding communities including Stanley, Rugby, Berthold, Tioga and Kenmare ran a circuit between the hospital’s downtown facilities and the Healthcare Campus and Medical District, with the first wave of patients. After unloading the patients and delivering them to their new rooms, the ambulances were quickly cleaned and disinfected and loaded with the necessary equipment before setting out for the next.

“They don’t stop. They’ll drop off a crew, go around and pick up a cot. They spend maybe 10 minutes on this campus and they’re back to get another one,” said Trinity Health Vice President of Mission Integration Randy Schwan.

The first of the pediatric patients were dropped off in the mid-morning, and Schwan expected that they would finish the process of moving approximately 60 patients by early afternoon.

“It is satisfying. It’s a little bit bittersweet. For the staff I’ve talked with, and myself personally after 28 years, that facility has served us well for a long time. There’s a lot of things we will remember about that building. Everybody’s excited about coming here, but there’s still a process,” Schwan said.

While the public and Trinity Health adapt to the new locale, other Trinity Health providers such as FirstCare Walk-in Clinic, primary care providers and non-hospital-based specialists will remain at their current locations.