Temporary ED overflow space reopening in Pavilion Sept. 28

To support our teams during the continued high demand for emergency care, the temporary emergency department overflow space in the Pavilion will reopen Monday, Sept. 28.

The space will provide additional capacity for patients who are likely to be admitted to the hospital, helping relieve pressure on the Emergency Department (ED) and support timely, safe care. 

We recognize that activating this space will require some employees to take a different route, which may be less convenient. Given our ongoing capacity challenges, opening this additional space is necessary to support patients who need care and hospital operations.

What’s happening?

• The 11-bed temporary emergency overflow area will reopen Monday, Sept. 28.
• The space is located in the medical center’s main Pavilion hallway, connecting the ED and ED Gold areas and enclosed between existing double doors to create a secure patient care area.
• The Pavilion first-floor hallway will be closed to through traffic, including employees.
• The temporary space will remain open as needed based on patient volume and hospital capacity.

Why are we reopening the space?

• Demand for emergency and inpatient care remains high, putting continued pressure on hospital capacity.
• The temporary space provides additional capacity for patients who need to be admitted and helps support patient flow through the ED.
• The California Tower is being built in part to address the growing need for hospital capacity and is expected to open in 2030. In the meantime, temporary measures like this are necessary to help us meet the needs of our patients and support our care teams.

What do employees need to know?

• The staff entrance by the ED remains open with access to the ED and service elevators; however, the Pavilion first-floor hallway will be closed to through traffic, including employees.
• Employees traveling to other hospital areas, including the Pavilion Cafe, should use the University Tower or NAOB entrances.
• Employees should not walk through Emergency Department areas on their way to other areas of the hospital.
• We recognize that these alternate routes may be less convenient than employees’ usual paths of travel. However, maintaining the temporary overflow space is necessary given our current capacity and the number of patients needing care.
• Using alternate entry points helps maintain a calmer care environment for patients while supporting safe and efficient operations.

We appreciate your flexibility and partnership as we reopen this temporary space to support our patients and care teams.