Marshall Health Network – St. Mary’s Medical Center opens new ER area to improve patient flow, reduce wait times

Marshall Health Network – St. Mary’s Medical Center has opened a new area within its emergency department designed to help patients with non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries receive care more quickly while improving patient flow during the department’s busiest hours. 

Known as the CARES area—short for Chairs for Assessment, Results and Evaluation—the space includes six patient care stations located within a renovated section of the emergency department lobby near the St. Mary’s Heart Institute entrance. 

Staffed daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. by a provider, nurse and support staff, the CARES area is designed for patients with less serious conditions who can often be evaluated, treated and discharged more efficiently. 

The initiative supports more streamlined emergency department operations, helping reduce wait times, improve care coordination and enhance the overall patient experience while preserving timely access to care for patients with more critical needs.  

“Every patient who comes through our emergency department deserves timely, compassionate care,” said Angie Swearingen, president of St. Mary’s Medical Center. “The CARES area helps us serve patients more efficiently while creating a better overall experience for those with less complex conditions. It is one more way we are working to ensure patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.” 

The CARES area was made possible through a generous gift of $250,000 from the St. Mary’s Medical Center Auxiliary, which helped fund renovation of the space. 

“The St. Mary’s Auxiliary's mission has always been to support the health and well-being of our community,” said Melanie Kerstetter, St. Mary’s Auxiliary president. “By helping make the CARES area possible, we are investing in a project that will improve access, enhance patient comfort and strengthen emergency care for years to come.” 

For more information about the CARES area or the Emergency Department at St. Mary’s Medical Center, please visit st-marys.org/centers-services/emergency-services or call 304-526-1111.