ED expansion plans will advance care, enhance flow

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center is a central referral hub for rural hospitals, emergency medical services partners and mass-casualty response across South Louisiana, which places pressure on its emergency capacity. In late 2025, the Baton Rouge-based medical center began a $55 million renovation of its emergency department (ED) to expand capacity, integrate advanced technology, and improve patient and caregiver experience.

“This project is a pivotal step in our health system’s strategic plan to modernize facilities, expand capabilities and elevate emergency care across our region,” says E.J. Kuiper, president and CEO of parent organization FMOL Health. “It’s a commitment to our mission that ensures when every second matters, our community receives the highest level of care in a space built for healing, innovation and compassion.”

Once completed, the renovation will include 20 additional expanded treatment spaces, enhanced patient flow for faster triage, and intervention and state-of-the-art diagnostic technologies.

“As the region’s only Level 1 trauma center, and the state’s busiest ED, we see some of the most complex and time-sensitive cases from across South Louisiana,” says Mark Laperouse, M.D., medical director of emergency services at the medical center. “This renovation is designed to give our physicians, nurses and care teams the environment and tools they need to deliver rapid, highly coordinated care while ensuring that patients and families feel supported every step of the way.”

The renovation will take place in phases to minimize disruption to care while maintaining access for all patient types. In Phase 1, all critical rooms will remain operational while new and improved critical rooms and a dedicated CT scan room are added. Twenty-four beds in one area will be temporarily closed, while 24 beds will open in two adjacent temporary spaces that previously served as intensive care units.

Phase 2 will see more available rooms than before and utilization of newly renovated high-acuity emergency zones, and the ED will remain fully operational through care-first construction planning that preserves readiness and access during all phases and through to completion.

A comprehensive signage and wayfinding plan, along with on-site support and complimentary valet parking, will help patients and families navigate the facility during construction.

Scheduled for completion in early 2028, the renovated ED also will serve as a training space for physicians, nurses and other health care professionals, further elevating Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center as a source of clinical excellence.