Wooster Community Hospital expansion to bring state-of-the-art emergency center in 2026

Last year, Wooster Community Hospital broke ground on a new addition. The Richard and Donna Smetzer Emergency Center will bring more than just a new ER to the community. 

“The new addition is truly designed with our loved ones in mind,” said Ray McDonald, director of plant operations. “It embodies the hospital’s mission to deliver the highest quality care possible, right here at home in our community. It will centralize and streamline patient services, making it easier to schedule appointments, access care and get timely support.” 

The new center will open in early 2026.

“(The ER) was originally built to accommodate 15,000 visits per year, and we are at close to 31,000 visits per year now,” said Scott A. Boyes, WCH president and CEO.

When COVID put initial construction plans on hold, the hospital put the time to good use. 

“COVID gave us the opportunity to better understand our true needs now and in the future: greater flexibility, more capacity, better systems and designated spaces for some of our specialized patient populations,” Boyes said. “The new $34 million emergency center…is a game-changer for our community.”

The comprehensive redesign will include an expanded emergency center with the capacity to handle over 30,000 annual ER visits, decreasing wait times and overcrowding. There will be specialized rooms for triage, trauma and patient observation, as well as a modern, spacious waiting area.

A new hospital entrance will streamline access to essential diagnostics and departments, improving patient flow. 

“The newly designed 44,000-square-foot space will make it easier for patients and staff to access key departments and their services in a much more efficient, effective and patient-friendly configuration,” Boyes said. “Everything from patient registration, medical records, customer service, laboratory medicine (and) imaging, plus (the ER), will be centrally located.”

McDonald said front-line staff and emergency responders were involved in the planning. Patient spaces were mocked up, complete with stretchers, wheelchairs and other devices, so staff could see how the proposed changes would work.

“From the very beginning of the design process, our focus was to improve care for all patients using our services,” he said.

The new ER will have 40% more beds, including five specially designed behavioral health spaces. Four observation beds will help keep pediatric patients close to home.

Additional changes, updates and expansions include enhanced first responder access with the canopied ambulance entrance and better access to the new helipad. A triage area will provide incoming patients the opportunity to be seen for evaluation before entering the ER. There will also be immediate access to imaging services.

New family-friendly waiting areas are planned with sensitivity to communicable diseases, and there will be a discharge lounge where patients can wait for discharge orders and test results without tying up treatment rooms. There will also be improved security and safety for patients, families and staff.

“In healthcare, we are constantly looking at the ‘what ifs,'” McDonald said. “For instance, what if we lose power or experience a natural disaster? How can we continue to care for our patients regardless of what happens? To ensure that we can be ready for the ‘what ifs,' we develop plans to mitigate those concerns and then perform drills to ensure those mitigations work. 

"The new addition provides a great deal of support in this aspect. For instance, our HVAC system has specialized filtration systems so you can be confident you’re breathing clean air. We have areas specially designed for the decontamination of patients in the event of a hazmat spill, as well as treating infectious diseases.”

Wooster Community Hospital, the largest health service provider in the area, is independent and locally owned and receives no tax support. The community’s support is fundamental to providing state-of-the-art services.

“By choosing WCH for your healthcare needs, you’re also investing in a healthier future for our community with cutting-edge facilities and personalized care," Boyes said. "This project reflects our deep commitment to the community we’ve served for 75 years, ensuring exceptional care continues right here.”

As an independent hospital, there is a local board of community members, allowing decision-making to reflect Wayne County’s specific needs. WCH is also a major employer in the area, keeping revenue local. 

“Our model demonstrates how independence can create a resilient, community-centric hospital that delivers exceptional care without sacrificing local identity,” Boyes said.

“Who better to operate a hospital than the community itself?” McDonald added.

Find the hospital online at www.woosterhospital.org and on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

“This cutting-edge expansion will significantly increase capacity with more beds, streamline patient flow for faster care and include dedicated space for the special populations for whom we provide care,” Boyes said. “(The) result (is) top-tier care in a state-of-the-art facility will remain available at our region’s independent community hospital, whose total focus remains on the health of our community. Supporting this project means giving Wayne County families quicker access to life-saving treatment, reducing travel time to distant hospitals and building a healthier, stronger future for all of us. Join us. Contact Wooster Community Hospital at 330-263-8701 to make a difference today.”