Acadia General Hospital (AGH) recently held its inaugural fundraising gala at the Grand Opera House.  The event was intended to engage members of the community in pursuit of a new emergency room for the hospital.

Plans for a new ER addition to the hospital have been proposed, but the hospital needs to raise enough money to fund its $2.8 million estimated cost.  Another estimated $1 million will be spent by Lafayette General Health to buy new equipment for the hospital, bringing the total investment to approximately $3.8 million.

AGH officials viewed the gala as the official launch to its “The Wait is Over” campaign to raise awareness and capital for the project.  Lafayette General Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Lafayette General Health, put on the gala for AGH and is assisting with AGH’s fund-raising efforts.  AGH has already raised over $350,000, thanks to a donation from the American Legion Acadia Post 15, but still needs to raise approximately $1 million before groundbreaking can occur.

The proposed ER construction would be a 9,768 square-feet addition to the hospital.  It would feature 16 exam rooms, expanded nursing stations, a “fast track” area for less critical patients and two psychiatric holding rooms.  The addition would create an expanded surgery area, a new waiting and consulting area for the surgery department, a new breast center, a new registration area and new outpatient diagnostic entrance.  It would also have the potential to add two floors at some point in the future.

The current ER is 3,358 square feet comprised of six exam rooms, with four of those divided only by curtains.  That space will be reallocated for Operating Room use.

To contribute to AGH’s “The Wait is Over” campaign, contact AGH Associate Administrator Zack Landry at (337) 523-0751.

The history of Acadia General Hospital dates back to 1901, when Crowley’s first hospital opened on First Street, a few blocks east of Parkerson Avenue.  The hospital became official in 1912 when it was founded as Crowley Sanitarium, Inc.  The hospital closed in 1928, but was reopened in 1929 as Legion Memorial Hospital by members of Acadia Post #15 of the American Legion.  The modern day hospital has operated at its current location on Crowley Rayne Highway since 1987, after moving from its previous location on Avenue K between 7^th and 8^th streets.  Today, the hospital is licensed for 140 beds.  Acadia General Hospital provides acute medical and surgical care, obstetrics, gynecology, pediatric, orthopedic, otolaryngology, cardiac, nephrology, ophthalmology, oncology, emergency services, vein therapy, wound care and hyperbaric medicine.  Offsite outpatient departments of the hospital include MRI Acadia General Imaging, located behind AGH at 1113 E. Northern Ave., and Center for Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine, located in Tower One.