FARMINGTON — After months of planning, renovations in the Emergency Department at Franklin Memorial Hospital are underway with completion expected in mid-January. A recent generous undisclosed donation by Richard and Judith Bjorn of Farmington will go toward the renovations.

“On behalf of Franklin Memorial Hospital and our board of directors, I would like to thank the Bjorns for their charitable gift for this project that will impact our patients in many positive ways,” said Franklin Memorial Hospital president/CEO Rebecca Ryder.

More than half of the cost of the renovations is covered by contributions from the Franklin Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Franklin Community Health Network employees, a Bass family estate bequest and the Bjorns.

Visitors to Franklin Memorial will now notice that patient registrars are located in temporary space on the left side of the lobby as one enters the hospital’s main entrance. Eventually three private registration offices will be built nearby and the switchboard operator will move into the emergency department.

Once the renovations are complete, patients entering the ED will check in with the switchboard operator before going to triage for a health assessment. “Although a designated ED registrar’s office is included in the plan the ultimate goal is to provide registration at the bedside as often as possible,” said Ryder. “Every effort is made to take a patient directly from triage to a treatment room, but during unusually busy times some will have to pass the time in the waiting area.”

A secure door will manage the entrance of visitors into the department’s patient treatment areas. Privacy for medical personnel while dealing with patients and families, and consulting physicians is addressed with the addition of a glass wall above the nurses’ station.

A new hallway from the ED entrance will allow people to enter the hospital after-hours for surgical or obstetric units without going through the emergency room waiting area. The plans also include a private seating area and changing room for magnetic resonance imaging patients. An attached covered walkway will lead to the external MRI unit.

The renovations do not affect the number of ED patient rooms, which includes five basic treatment rooms, a designated trauma room, a designated mental health room and two major treatment rooms.