Memorial Healthcare System to Expand Emergency Services with Two New Freestanding Emergency Departments

Memorial Healthcare System is expanding access to adult and pediatric advanced emergency services in South Broward and Northwest Miami-Dade counties with the development of two new freestanding emergency departments (FSEDs). The new facility at Miramar Parkway and Red Road in Miramar and the redeveloped and expanded FSED at 801 Douglas Road in Pembroke Pines are strategically located to meet high demand in these rapidly growing areas.

"Our new freestanding emergency departments in Miramar and Pembroke Pines are vital to addressing the region's evolving healthcare needs and would not have been possible without the support and immediate action taken by Memorial’s board of commissioners," said Memorial Healthcare System Interim CEO Shane Strum. "These emergency departments will ensure that our communities have immediate access to high-quality emergency care that is closer to home. They not only increase our capacity by more than 30,000 visits annually, but also enhance our ability to deliver timely, specialized services to families and individuals who need it most."

“The board has been excited to see our new CEO fast tracking growth projects that had long been under consideration yet stalled,” said Elizabeth Justen, chair of the South Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners. “Under Shane’s leadership and the board’s purview, you will continue to see Memorial pursue aggressive growth strategies. We are committed to expanding innovation and making capital investments that will ensure our community always has the best care available. These two new freestanding emergency departments are a decisive start.”

With an estimated construction cost of $61.8 million, work on the FSEDs is set to begin in early 2025, with anticipated completion by mid 2026. Both projects were approved by the South Hospital District Board of Commissioners in October after swift action was taken by Strum to breathe new life into the projects.

The Miramar Parkway and Red Road FSED, a 16,800-square-foot facility, will serve the fast expanding Northwest Miami-Dade region, where emergency visits comprise 27% of Memorial's total emergency room volume. Equipped with 13 examination rooms, a pediatric treatment area, a trauma/resuscitation room, advanced imaging (CT and X-ray), and on-site lab capabilities, this FSED will provide emergency care to over 32,850 individuals annually. With the local population projected to increase by 10% by 2029, this facility will offer convenient access to care and help reduce wait times.

The Douglas Road FSED will transform a 48-year-old building into a state-of-the-art 30,100-square-foot facility. With 20 private examination and treatment rooms, dedicated pediatric areas, and enhanced imaging services such as CT and X-ray, this facility is projected to care for approximately 55,000 individuals each year, with room for future growth. Designed with a private behavioral health area and trauma/resuscitation room, the Douglas Road FSED is equipped to meet diverse emergency needs and to provide essential care to uninsured and Medicaid-dependent patients who make up nearly a third of the local community.

These FSEDs underscore Memorial Healthcare System's thoughtful vision for future growth, answering the needs of a growing region and an increasingly advanced care model.

“The new freestanding emergency departments are the first of many steps we’ll be taking to make Memorial as competitive as possible while offering all the services needed by our growing community,” Strum said. “We are acting with expediency and seizing the tremendous opportunity that exists for Memorial that will ultimately benefit the patients we serve across South Florida.”