Emergency Medical Services Remain Fully Operational in Lakewood

As Lakewood Hospital discontinues inpatient care, the city of Lakewood wants all residents to be aware that a 24/7/365 full-service emergency department remains available at the current hospital site.

The existing emergency department at Lakewood Hospital remains fully operational until the new emergency department is built at the new family health center across the street at the southwest corner of Belle and Detroit avenues.

In addition, many outpatient services will continue to be offered at the current facility. Some of those services include cardio-vascular testing, chronic care, lab and radiology, a diabetes center, teen health center, senior assessment center and women’s health center.

Every day, every hour, doctors and nurses will be ready to treat emergencies of all kinds. If inpatient care is needed, patients will be transported to the closest, most appropriate full-service hospital.

Most emergencies do not require hospital inpatient admission.

Lakewood Fire Chief Scott Gilman said that most of the patients transported by the fire department will continue to be taken to the emergency department at the existing facility.

“Free-standing emergency departments have been in place in Cuyahoga County for more than 30 years, serving the emergency medical needs of their communities in an exceptional manner,” he said.

Since the 1999 merger of the Lakewood Fire Department and the Lakewood EMS, the city has expanded services to meet the needs of residents.

“Consultants at that time recommended that we staff two ambulances and cross-train firefighters as first responders. We’ve soundly exceeded these recommendations,” said Gilman, adding that Lakewood fire trucks are also equipped with a substantial amount of equipment/pharmaceutical supplies — just like EMS vehicles.

“The training, technology, experience, and institutional knowledge and skills of Lakewood’s first responders cannot be underestimated.”

The Cleveland Clinic will build a new $34 million, 62,000-square-foot family health center with a new state-of-the-art emergency department. Construction of the new facility is planned to begin in late-2016 and expected to be completed in mid-2018.

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