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The Multifunctional Wing of the East Hospital’s Emergency Medicine and Patient Admission Clinic sparks great interest among industry experts

Ever since its opening on 29 February 2024, the newly constructed unique Infection Block facilities at the Emergency Medicine and Patient Admission Clinic (EMPAC) of Riga East Clinical University Hospital (East Hospital) have captured special interest from the community, medical professionals, and global experts. Cutting-edge technological solutions, modern equipment, and extensive space transformation facilities that will enable the Infection Block to serve as a Multifunctional Wing, capable of admitting a large number of patients during emergencies, have generated significant interest, with over 2000 visitors already.

The new EMPAC Multifunctional Wing has sparked great interest among medical and healthcare experts even before commencing the operation. Over 2000 visitors, including professionals from the East Hospital, representatives of the Saeima (Parliament), the Ministry of Health and Finance, the Disease Prevention and Control Centre, the Health Inspectorate, the Emergency Medical Service, the Infectious Diseases Department of Riga Stradiņš University (RSU), the Riga Medical College of the University of Latvia, the RSU Medical Education Technology Centre, the Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital, Rīga Hospital No. 2, the Trauma and Orthopaedics Hospital, the Rīga Maternity Hospital, etc. have visited the Infection Block. Additionally, international guests from Denmark, Monaco, and Ukraine have personally experienced the Multifunctional Block’s state-of-the-art technological solutions and positively assessed its capabilities.

Photo: Ieva Ābele, Saeima

Aleksejs Višņakovs, Head of EMPAC, points out: ‘The establishment of the new block represents a crucial step towards providing the highest quality treatment and care for patients with infectious diseases, while ensuring a safe environment for healthcare professionals. It is the only newly constructed hospital facility in the Baltic states that meets the highest internationally approved standards of epidemiological safety. At the same time, given the current circumstances, we see the block being used as a Multifunctional Wing, allowing us to respond effectively and promptly to various emergency medical challenges, as its spaces and equipment can be conveniently adapted and transformed. We are proud that this block has sparked such a great interest among industry professionals and international partners, which further underscores its importance and potential.’

The unique EMPAC Multifunctional Wing will facilitate the prioritization, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with infectious diseases. In emergency situations, it can quickly and efficiently admit up to 250 patients, ensuring timely emergency care, triage, and precise diagnosis for the rapid transfer of patients to one of East Hospital’s wards for further treatment. These are currently the only hospital facilities in Latvia that can immediately accommodate over 200 critically injured patients, including those in need of intensive therapy.

‘Commencing work in the new wing will be a significant leap towards our vision of the Hospital of the Future – a hospital where modern technology and the highest standards of epidemiological safety become standard practice. This project will greatly enhance our ability to respond to the challenges of modern healthcare and further establish our role as one of the most advanced medical establishments in Northern Europe. We are proud to be able to provide our patients with such high-quality treatment and care,’ says Normunds Staņēvičs, Chairman of the Board at the East Hospital.

In terms of the Baltic region, the EMPAC Multifunctional Wing stands out as the only facility constructed in line with the highest epidemiological safety standards. It incorporates a variety of innovative technological solutions designed to enhance patient care, safety, and comfort. For instance, the facilities are equipped with modern isolation and ventilation systems ensuring that indoor air is purified through a specialized filter system, protecting both patients and medical staff from the spread of infection. The filtration system guarantees that the air released outdoors is safe for the surrounding environment. The block includes 11 negative pressure isolation units, with air circulation occurring every 8 to 10 minutes. Furthermore, sterilization of these isolators is performed using disinfection robots.

The block has also introduced an improved notification and communication system that enables patients to reach out to medical staff at any moment via special buttons and to call for emergency help if needed. This system ensures quick responses to critical situations, while minimizing the risk of infection for staff by reducing the necessity for direct contact.

Ensuring patient privacy and comfort has been a primary focus. The new spaces offer separate family suites.

Moreover, the wing is equipped with its own autonomous wastewater treatment system, which ensures that harmful waste does not enter the city’s sewage systems.

Additionally, the rooms can be swiftly transformed for intensive care purposes, which is particularly vital in case of emergencies involving a large number of patients. The EMPAC Multifunctional Wing is designed for rapid transformation and adaptation. The new facilities are equipped with workstations that include essential equipment for the swift processing of analyses and examinations for a large number of patients. In cases where emergency assistance is required, patients can be provided with immediate care and quickly transported to one of the East Hospital’s inpatient facilities with a clear diagnosis.

This project was implemented by adding new facilities totalling 4604.5 square metres over three floors to the existing EMPAC building.

 

The construction of the EMPAC Infection Block was carried out under ERDF project No. 9.3.2.0/21/1/001, Development of Infrastructure of the Building of SIA ‘Rīgas Austrumu klīniskā universitātes slimnīca’ [Riga East Clinical University Hospital] at Hipokrāta iela 4, with the total cost of EUR 10 303 943.20 (excluding VAT).