Cornwall ER to close in January

The following announcement was excerpted from a St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital press release.

“On Jan. 12, 2017, at 7 a.m. the Cornwall Emergency Department, which has been averaging fewer than two patients per hour, will close. An ambulance will be stationed at the Cornwall campus for a short period for those that may present to the Emergency Department during the transition. SLCH will expand emergency services at the hospital’s Newburgh campus. These measures include the addition of valet parking for Emergency Department patients and visitors between the hours of 5 p.m. and 7 a.m., as well as increasing the ED’s fast track hours which allows for triage of less emergent cases.

“’To address the concerns regarding capacity in the Newburgh emergency department, we’re adding nurses and providers; increasing the hours of fast track and initiating a process for definitive treatment at triage,’” said Dr. Scot Hill, Chairman and Medical Director of Emergency Services at SLCH. “We remain committed to decreasing the time from your arrival to going home.”