WellSpan York Hospital, today, officially opened its new, state-of-the-art helipad as part of the hospital’s ongoing $50 million overhaul of its emergency department, enhancing the hospital’s ability to provide advanced, life-saving specialty care to the region’s sickest and most seriously injured patients.

WellSpan York Hospital is the only Level 1 Regional Resource Trauma Center in York, Adams, Lancaster and Franklin counties. Last year, the hospital treated more than 2,000 trauma patients – including 190 who were transported via helicopter – for serious and often life-threatening injuries suffered as a result of automobile accidents, gunshot wounds, falls and other events.

“With this new helipad, WellSpan York Hospital is reinforcing its commitment to provide safe, fast and exceptional care to trauma patients in our region,” said Keith Noll, president of WellSpan York Hospital and senior vice president of WellSpan Health. “In trauma care, every second counts, and this helipad will enable us to provide even quicker care to our most seriously injured patients.”

The new helipad measures 7,200 square feet – 3,000 square feet larger than the hospital’s old helipad.  Standing 34 feet tall, the new helipad straddles the hospital’s West Drive, just off South George Street near the campus entrance.

The expanded size of the helipad will allow for larger helicopters with more patient capacity to land at the hospital campus. Previously, larger aircraft had to land at WellSpan York Hospital’s alternate helipad on Indian Rock Dam Road, less than a mile from the campus. An ambulance would then transport the patients from the helipad to the hospital.

In addition, maintaining the new helipad during the winter months will also be easier, as it features an automatic snowmelt system, with 12,000 feet of snowmelt tubing installed beneath the surface to keep ice and snow from accumulating on the pad.

The opening of the new helipad completes Phase I of the WellSpan York Hospital Emergency Department renovation project, which began last August. The upgrades will provide patients with a regional destination for advanced care in a state-of-the-art facility designed for faster treatment and exceptional service.

In addition to an area dedicated for patients with minor injuries and illnesses, the new emergency department will offer dedicated treatment areas for pediatric, cardiovascular and behavioral health patients. The project is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2017.