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South Texas Veterans Health Care System celebrates its recent expansion of the Emergency Department at the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital

Five members of the Executive Leadership Team and Emergency Department and Specialty Area staff pose with large ceremonial scissors
From left to right Dr. Heather C. Yun Chief of Staff, Dr. Samuel Munro Chief Emergency Medicine Service, Melissa Pineda-Sanchez MSW, ACHE Assistant Director, (Acting), Kristine Coronado Chief Nurse of Emergency Department and Specialty Areas, and Jennifer R. Melton Supervisory Health System Specialist pose before cutting ribbon, during the emergency department ribbon ceremony.
By Moses Blount, Public Affairs TCF Trainee

The Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) has undergone renovation. These quality-of-life enhancements will assist doctors and nurses in reducing treatment times, provide Veterans a smoother and timelier visit.

The latest additions include new equipment such as an embedded x-ray machine room and CT scan. These devices create an image that can be used to detect damaged bones, cancers, and foreign objects in the body. X-rays are also employed in various sorts of tests and treatments. With these machines readily available in the ED, patients don’t have to walk or be transported to Radiology.  

Dr. Julianne Flynn, Executive Director, alongside with the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, Jan 8 to officially open phase four of the ED. “The South Texas Veterans Health Care System is all about persistence, perseverance, and excellence. We are one of the fastest-growing VA medical facility in the country and with our Veteran population quickly growing in South Texas, thank you ED staff for all you do to help assist and care for our Veterans.” Dr. Flynn said with excitement. 

Ray Burke, ED Nurse Manager, provided a tour of the breathtaking facility.

Burke excitedly highlighted the state-of-the-art CARESCAPE Canvas monitors, a complete modular monitoring system that can display a wide range of patient parameters including: ECG waveforms, SpO2 (oxygen saturation), non-invasive blood pressure, temperature, respiration rate, invasive blood pressure (if connected), various calculated hemodynamic parameters (depending on the added modules), airway gas measurements (CO2, O2), and even neurophysiological data like EEG. It integrates real-time vital signs data from numerous sources; this system allows Physicians to have a uniform view of a patient's health condition. The ED has increased its footprint from 8,256 to a total of 20,604 square feet, including 12 additional beds in the main section. The Triage includes three additional care areas, along with a Fast Track that have five additional care areas. This designated area within the ED, is designed to swiftly treat Veterans with minor and less critical conditions. 

The Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital’s Emergency Department in the STVHCS, is open 24 hours, seven days a week. Veterans in extreme distress should dial 911 immediately.