The drive to build ECMC's new Trauma Center/Emergency Department has taken another step forward. Key Bank Foundation is partnering with the First Niagara Foundation to donate $600,000 to the Trauma Center's capital campaign.
Erie County Medical Center, President and CEO, Tom Quatroche says, he's excited and pleased about the response from the philanthropic community for the project. ECMC is the region's only Level 1 Adult Trauma Center and Emergency Department. Each year it serves 70,000 residents from across Western New York.
"This is going to be a state-of-the-art facility. Obviously a lot more comfortable for patients and staff. But more importantly it will provide better technology. Radiology is going to be right next to the trauma rooms. And if you talk to the Head of Surgery for the University at Buffalo he'll tell you that he's probably not seen a better design in the country and it will save lives," Quatroche said.
Plans include relocating the Trauma Center/Emergency Department into a newly constructed ground floor facility on ECMC's Grider Street campus. Quatroche says, the campaign has raised nearly $9 million to date. They expect to break ground later this spring.