BILLINGS — Former and current Billings Clinic workers gathered to celebrate the emergency department's 50th anniversary on Wednesday.
The emergency department began as Deaconess Hospital on July 3, 1975, and had only three beds. Today, Billings Clinic said it has served 1.1 million patients and 50,000 annually.
Watch the history and what's to come of the emergency room here:
Joy Eshleman joined the hospital in 1983 as a registered nurse and worked there for 25 years. She spoke Wednesday to the increased capabilities of the hospital over the years.
"It's wonderful that they've got MRI and CAT scan and all of those commodities right there, where you can really get things done in a faster fashion," said Eshleman.
According to Eshleman, the ER started with a small amount of medical technology.
"Our whole ER was about the size of one pod in the current station," explained Eshleman.
The ER moved to the first floor and increased its bed size to 36 in 2007, according to Billings Clinic.
"If they hadn't have built that new ER, I do not know. I don't think we would have got through COVID. It has been a lifesaver," said Eshleman.
During the celebration, guests gathered at the Billings Clinic Folberg House to hear what's next for the emergency room.
Brad Von Bergen, the director of emergency services operations at the ER, explained the focus behind the upcoming renovations.
"Health care changes, and we have to keep pace with those changes, both through innovations, through political changes, climates, and we have to rethink how we provide that care," said Von Bergen.
Billings Clinic officials say they plan to add three new treatment rooms, expanding from 36 to 39, increase the size of the nurse station, double the size of the ambulance bay and add a new decontamination area, among other improvements.
"As we look to the next few years, how can we see more patients in the same space that we're seeing?" said Von Bergen.
No timeline was given for when the renovations will be completed.
