EIRMC plans new Women's and Infant Center

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Story Published: Nov 24, 2009 at 8:18 PM MDT

Story Updated: Nov 24, 2009 at 8:18 PM MDT

By Danica Lawrence

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IDAHO FALLS - Overcrowding in EIRMC's neonatal intensive care unit forces critically ill newborns to be cared for in faraway cities like Salt Lake City, or Boise. But with a newly-approved multi-million dollar grant, *that won't be a problem much longer.

"It's getting crowded here, as you can tell with all this specialized equipment and we are getting crowded all the time, we get to the point where we can't handle any more babies, so with this new expansion we can handle more babies, there is a lot more space," says, neonatologist, Dr. Shannon Jenkins

The hospital's parent company, HCA approved the grant. For two years, the expansion plan has grown... and next Spring, EIRMC will break ground.

"Out at the parking lot a new one-story building will take place about 24,000 square feet and this will house the actual new NICU," says, chief operating officer for EIRMC, Jordon Herget.

The facelift includes 26 new beds to help the newborn babies survive- where as now the NICU can only hold around 16.

The hospital wants to become the go-to place for premature newborns.

The grand opening is set for 20-11.

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