New ER at Methodist Charlton opens to patients at 3 a.m.

DALLAS — With the flip of a switch, Methodist Charlton Medical Center lit up its new Emergency Department before dawn Wednesday, marking a new era for one of the busiest trauma centers in Dallas-Fort Worth.

"It's unbelievable," Methodist Charlton President Fran Laukaitis said outside the Level III Trauma Center on Wheatland Road. "It's the middle of the night, and everybody's here —and we are beyond happy."

Within minutes at 3 a.m. Wednesday, staff illuminated the red "EMERGENCY" signs lighting the way to the new 40,000-square-foot facility, while the signs over the old entrance were switched off.

Every year, more than 70,000 patients pass through Methodist Charlton's Emergency Department. After the 19-month, $71 million expansion, those patients will now receive the same exceptional care — but in a more comfortable and efficient setting.

“More space makes the emergency room more welcoming and accessible,” Laukaitis said. “This will help provide shorter wait times and a better patient experience overall.”

The new Emergency Department features 70 patient beds, nearly doubling its capacity, and also has larger waiting rooms and triage areas and expanded ambulance bays, as well as all the cutting-edge equipment needed to meet a wide range of critical needs.

Methodist's board approved the new Emergency Department in the summer of 2020, at the height of the pandemic, and its grand opening coincides with Methodist Charlton's 50th year serving the community.

In that time, southern Dallas County and the Best Southwest communities have grown tremendously. And so, too, have the healthcare needs of their residents.

"Patients are not just numbers to us. They are mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers," Laukaitis said. "Our patients are the reason we all come to work every day."