LewisGale Medical Center opens second freestanding ER

Salem, VA.  — Officials with LewisGale Medical Center, Roanoke County, and the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house yesterday to celebrate the opening of the hospital’s second freestanding emergency room, named Blue Hills ER. 

Located at 1423 West Ruritan Road in Roanoke, the nearly 10,000-square-foot freestanding emergency room is staffed by more than 30 employees, including board-certified emergency room physicians and nurses, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It will provide the same services as an emergency room that is housed within the walls of a hospital. 

“The ER is the front door to the majority of patients who are suffering a heart attack, stroke, or other life-threatening illness or injury and, in these cases, fast intervention is the difference between life and death,” said Puneet Chopra, MD, emergency department medical director. “In these emergency situations, every minute matters and having access to unparalleled medical care at a facility nearby will save lives and enhance patient recovery.” 

Joining the only other freestanding ER in Southwest Virginia, the Cave Spring ER, Blue Hills ER is designed to meet the community’s needs today and into the future. The new state-of-the-art facility features walk-in and ambulance entrancesr, eight private treatment rooms, CT capabilities, digital ultrasound and diagnostic x-rays, and on-site laboratory. 

“As the greater Roanoke County community continues to expand, the need for 24/7 emergency care close to where people live and work is paramount,” stated Alan Fabian, LewisGale Regional Health System market president. “We are excited to establish another access point for all those in need of emergency medical care.” 

“It is very rewarding to see LewisGale Medical Center make this significant investment in our community,” said Jim McAden, LewisGale Medical Center board chairman. “I am confident our citizens and businesses will appreciate having these services available to them when they are needed most.” 

About LewisGale Regional Health System

LewisGale Regional Health System includes 44 HCA Virginia Health System-owned patient care facilities including four hospitals, two freestanding ERs, two regional cancer centers and affiliations with both employed and independent physicians. HCA Virginia Health System operates 14 hospitals, 27 outpatient centers, six freestanding emergency rooms and is affiliated with 3,000 physicians. The private hospital system is one of Virginia’s largest employers, provides $105.7 million in charity and uncompensated care, and pays $88.9 million in taxes annually.