Jamaica Hospital Medical Center -- Department of Public Affairs -- 8900 Van Wyck Expressway Jamaica, New York 11418
For Immediate Release
Name: Jamaica Hospital Medical Center
Telephone:
Email: [email protected]
Jamaica Hospital Celebrates Major Milestone in Emergency Department Expansion
Oct 12,2026
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center celebrated the completion of Phase 1 of its Emergency Department (ED) and Critical Care Units expansion project, marking a major milestone in the hospital’s ongoing effort to modernize emergency care and meet South Queens' growing healthcare needs.
In 2023, Jamaica Hospital announced a large-scale construction project to modernize and expand its Emergency Department. The project is supported by a $150 million grant from New York State’s Statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program IV ED, representing a historic investment in emergency and critical care services for the Queens community.
Originally constructed in 1989, Jamaica Hospital’s Emergency Department was designed to care for approximately 60,000 patients annually. Today, the hospital treats nearly 120,000 emergency patients each year. This dramatic growth has created an urgent need for expanded modern infrastructure capable of meeting the increasing demand for emergency services.
The new Emergency Department is designed to meet that need. Once fully completed, the expanded ED will nearly double the size of the existing department and will be equipped to accommodate more than 150,000 annual visits. The project includes negative-pressure isolation rooms to support infection prevention and control and significantly expanded trauma capabilities. In addition to the ED expansion and modernization the new building will include 22 state-of-the-art critical care beds.
As the busiest Level 1 trauma center in New York City, Jamaica Hospital is also expanding its trauma treatment capacity from one trauma bay to four. Each bay will be equipped with advanced technology and designed to support the rapid, complex care required for critically injured patients.
The ED modernization and expansion project is being completed in multiple phases. Phase 1 includes approximately 15,000 square feet of newly constructed space, which is now complete. Work is continuing on the remaining renovations and construction, with the full Emergency Department expected to encompass approximately 50,000 square feet upon completion.
The expanded facility will provide a more efficient, patient-centered environment while strengthening Jamaica Hospital’s ability to deliver timely, high-quality emergency care to one of the most diverse and medically complex communities in New York City.
“Every aspect of this modernization project has been designed with the needs of our patients and our community in mind,” said Dr. Shi Wen Lee, Chairman of Emergency Medicine at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. “This expanded Emergency Department will give our physicians, nurses, and clinical teams the space and resources they need to provide advanced emergency care in a more efficient and patient-centered environment. Most importantly, it will help us meet the growing needs of the community we are privileged to serve.”
“Expanding and modernizing our Emergency Department is an important investment in the health and well-being of our community,” said Bruce J. Flanz, President and CEO of Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. “This project will allow us to accommodate growing patient volumes, enhance the delivery of emergency and critical care, and provide the advanced services our patients need today and into the future.”
Mr. Flanz added, “We are deeply grateful to Governor Hochul for recognizing the importance of investing in safety-net hospitals and the communities we serve. This $150 million investment in our Emergency Department is one of two transformative capital investments supported by the State that will strengthen healthcare in Queens. The Governor’s additional $188 million commitment to our new comprehensive cancer center, in partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, will bring expanded access to advanced cancer care closer to home for the people of Queens.”
Together, these investments represent a significant commitment to strengthening the healthcare infrastructure of Queens and ensuring that patients have access to high-quality, advanced care close to home.