White Salmon, Wash. – The State of Washington recently showed its support of Skyline Health’s Emergency Department renovation and expansion through a capital budget award of $500,000 to the Expanding on Excellence campaign.

“We are deeply grateful for this extraordinary gift and the inspiration it provides for others to support this project and Skyline Health’s mission,” said Elizabeth Vaivoda, Skyline Foundation executive director. “This incredible gift to our community – along with many other generous donations – will allow our physicians and clinicians to provide the highest quality of patient care in a state-of-the-art Emergency Department.”

The newly enhanced and expanded Emergency Department will help to better serve the community through increased access to emergent care, improved patient privacy (with all private treatment rooms) and increased efficiency. Additionally, the new space will have specific rooms focused on unique populations including survivors of assault, people experiencing a behavioral health crisis, families and children, and those in trauma who may need to be air-lifted to a hospital in the Portland-Metro area.

“We anticipate breaking ground on the Emergency Department project in the spring of 2020,” said Robb Kimmes, Skyline Health’s CEO. “This project will benefit our entire community by providing much-needed space, as well as expanded access and modern resources for an exceptional health care delivery.”

The Expanding on Excellence Capital Campaign is the hospital’s initiative to renovate and expand its Emergency Department, create a centralized lobby and relocate laboratory services. The campaign, launched in July 2017, is in response to Skyline’s due-diligence in identifying what the hospital needs to expand and revitalize services to attract its full market share, as well as continue providing quality care to people in Klickitat and Skamania counties.