Orlando Health Unveils Renovated Emergency Department At Central Florida’s Only Level One Trauma Center

Orlando, FL (January 24, 2025) – On Friday, Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) unveiled its completely redesigned and renovated emergency department. Orlando Health ORMC is the proud home of Central Florida’s only Level One Trauma Center. This redesign marks the largest renovation and expansion of the downtown hospital’s emergency department in the last 10 years. The $25 million endeavor was fully funded through philanthropy.

“We are incredibly grateful to our community for their generosity and support of the emergency and trauma care that we provide,” said Kelly Nierstedt, President of Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center. “There is no telling when an emergency is going to happen. With our newly renovated emergency department, we are here, ready to provide compassionate, quality healthcare when our community needs it the most.”

Highlights of the new renovation include:

• More than doubling the size of the Trauma Bay
• Redesigning the ED to enhance efficiency & environment of care
• Four new EMS transfer bays
• Enlarged ambulance entrance
• Upgrades to Air Care Communications
• Two new CT scanners
• Redesigned nurse stations

“This incredible renovation will help us help our patients on what is often their worst day,” said Dr. Jay Ladde, emergency medicine physician and Senior Associate Program Director of Emergency Medicine. “Our patients were the inspiration for each enhancement to communication, technology and design. I want to thank our donors who poured their hearts into helping us build this comprehensive emergency department that will allow us to take care of our community for many years to come.”

The transformation more than doubles the size of the hospital’s Trauma Bay. The significant addition of surge space allows the trauma center team to rapidly add 10 more treatment areas in the event of a mass casualty incident, multi-vehicle crash or natural disaster.

“This state-of-the-art expansion to our Trauma Bay is lifesaving,” said Dr. Tracy Zito, trauma surgeon and Medical Director of Orlando Health ORMC’s Trauma Center. “Our Central Florida community is growing quickly. It doesn’t take a mass shooting to fill our trauma bay. Some nights we fill up from car crashes alone. This renovation enhances our ability to treat our neighbors, colleagues, friends and loved ones when they need help the most.”

Handout video & photos:

Broll here
Soundbites here
Photos here

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a private not-for-profit, integrated academic healthcare system with $12 billion of assets under management, that serves the southeastern United States – including Florida and Alabama – and Puerto Rico. With corporate offices in Orlando, Florida the system provides a complete continuum of care across a network of medical centers and institutes, community and specialty hospitals, physician practices, urgent care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, home healthcare, and long-term and behavioral health care services. Founded more than 100 years ago, Orlando Health’s mission is to improve the health and the quality of life of the individuals and communities we serve. The system provided nearly $1.7 billion in community impact in the form of community benefit programs and services, Medicare shortfalls, bad debt, community-building activities and capital investments in FY 23, the most recent period for which the information is available. For more information, visit orlandohealth.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter.)