Amador County – Sutter Amador Hospital got its third big donation of the year Monday from a group of its own doctors.

Valley Emergency Physicians Group, which includes eight local ER doctors, gave $50,000 toward the $7.3 million expansion project, which began in April 2011 and could end late this year.

Valley Emergency Physicians Medical Group is a California Professional Corporation formed in 1981 whose stockholders are its practicing physicians and allied health providers. VEP provides emergency medicine and primary care physician services to more than 35 hospitals, including Sutter Amador Hospital.

VEP has been awarded “Best Places to Work in Healthcare” by Modern Healthcare Magazine for the past two years, and the Emergency Department physicians practicing at Sutter Amador Hospital have some of the best patient satisfaction scores in the industry, officials said, proving their dedication to quality emergency medical care to Amador County and the surrounding communities. Their donation follows two other big, local gifts this year included a $9,000 from ACES Waste Service in January, and $20,000 from Stan Lukowicz and Amador Community Foundation in February.

Doctor Paul Beatty, of Valley Emergency Physicians Group, said the Emergency Department expansion project is in Phase 3, meaning they still operate with six beds.

Sutter Amador Hospital Foundation officials said most U.S. emergency departments are facing an increased demand for services. In Amador County, it is fueled by an aging population, a growing number of underinsured and uninsured patients and a lack of alternative after-hours care.

Since the current hospital opened in 2000, emergency visits to SAH have increased steadily. In 2011, its Emergency Department treated more than 18,000 patients, up more than 12 percent since 2007.

The expansion will increase comfort, speed and safety by nearly doubling the size of the emergency department from 5,600 square feet to 9,115 square feet. It will increase the number of rooms from 6 to 13, including 2 for major treatment, 8 for treatment and 3 for triage and treatment.

An upgraded waiting room will be more comfortable for patients and families and offer more privacy. Each treatment room will be private and equipped with the latest computer-based monitoring system.

Officials said emergency care will not be interrupted during renovation. Triage rooms have been temporarily relocated to another area of the hospital. A new direct corridor from the hospital to the Outpatient Services Center is already open to patients and staff.

In preparation for the expansion, SAH opened its 48,000 square-foot Outpatient Services facility in 2007, to expand outpatient services and free-up main hospital space for the Emergency Department.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.