Northridge Hospital – Emergency Department Expansion

As a Level 2 trauma center and the only pediatric trauma center in the San Fernando Valley, NHMC’s emergency services are a vital part of serving the local community. But the hospital’s emergency department was greatly undersized and outdated, having seen few updates since the hospital opened in 1955. Importantly, NHMC offered the only helipad in between Burbank and West Hills that can accommodate pediatric rapid response teams, treating the highest levels of trauma. To better serve the growing local population, the hospital needed to expand its emergency department and upgrade the facility’s helipad to accommodate both wheeled and skid type helicopters.

GDG Healthcare Architects was approached in 2016 to develop a phasing plan for renovating and expanding the NHMC Emergency Department. Since NHMC needed to continue providing vital emergency services, the ED had to remain in continuous operation throughout the project – requiring a phased approach with careful attention and involvement.  [Any details on qualitative aspects of the design/build? Colors/textures etc]

GDG oversaw all aspects of the renovation and expansion, meeting on a weekly basis with hospital leadership, contractors, vendors, end users and inspectors, including HCAI field staff. GDG’s specialized expertise in healthcare architecture and the unique requirements of modern emergency departments accelerated the project timeline. The GDG team partnered with HCAI consulting engineers to fast-track plan approval and supported construction teams to expedite the final build at a high level of quality – all while keeping the hospital’s ED in full operation, including two years during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the project was fully completed in 2021, NHMC expanded its emergency department by 24,000 square feet and 42-beds. In addition to increasing NHMC’s total ED volume to 63,000 patients per year, the hospital featured a larger, state-of-the-art helipad that would enable faster emergency services and ultimately save lives. At the project’s conclusion and every year since, NHMC has been ranked “One of America’s 50 Best Hospitals” by Healthgrades – a national health care ratings organization.