Regions Hospital Foundation announces fundraising campaign for emergency care and mental health

Donations to Regions Responds First go toward the $31.75 million expansion of the hospital’s Emergency Center and inpatient mental health facilities.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Regions Hospital Foundation announced that Regions Responds First, a fundraising effort that benefits the expansion of the hospital’s Emergency Center and inpatient mental health facilities, is closing in on its goal of raising at least $18.75 million by the end of the year.

As the only Level I Adult and Pediatric Trauma Center and largest provider of emergency care in the east metro — treating nearly 90,000 patients in its Emergency Center annually — Regions Hospital is the place to go when the unexpected happens.

“I can think of no better tribute to our hardworking colleagues than to give them the additional space and resources they need to care for their patients in times of greatest need,” Regions Hospital Foundation Vice President Tony Grundhauser said. “We’re ready to respond to the community’s increased care needs with this expansion.”

Regions Emergency Center treats 18,500 more patients per year than it did a decade ago, and steady growth is predicted well into the future. The hospital’s mental health building served about 3,300 patients a year and operated at an average capacity of 97 percent before the expansion. Twenty new inpatient mental health rooms also open Emergency Center beds for more patients with various health care needs. Funding for Regions Responds First goes to:

Emergency Center

• Updates to the existing Emergency Center, including the triage center, larger family rooms for extended families and relocation of the private bereavement room
• The addition of 14 emergency treatment rooms, including four new trauma rooms along with mental health and medical dual-purpose rooms
• Capacity for 10,000 more annual patient visits
• Faster diagnoses and treatment of severe illnesses and injuries
• Enhanced infectious disease-prevention capabilities
• More imaging services to expedite transit times for X-rays and CT scans for critically ill patients
• State-of-the-art trauma and resuscitation equipment, including large monitors for care teams to see patient vital signs and a video feed of airways for placing breathing tubes; lifts to safely move patients and protect colleagues from injuries; and tablets for interpreter services to easily communicate important health history and care information in a patient’s preferred language

Mental health

• 20 additional patient rooms and capacity for 600-plus more patients per year
• Enhancements to minimize the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19

Dan Stoltz, president and CEO of SPIRE Federal Credit Union, and his wife, Robin, donated $50,000 to the fundraising effort and have challenged others to match or exceed their support. Find out how to donate today.