Jamaica Hospital Medical Center , the busiest Level 1 trauma center in New York City, cut the ribbon on a newly constructed section of its Emergency Department (ED), officially completing Phase 1 of its ED and critical care units expansion project.

Elected leaders joined project officials on Oct. 9 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, commemorating completion of the first phase and looking forward to the next.

The project includes negative-pressure isolation rooms to support infection prevention and control and significantly expanded trauma capabilities. The facility is slated to open in early 2027. In future phases, the hospital will also be 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.

Once all phases are complete, the ED is expected to encompass approximately 50,000 square feet. Completion of the Phase 1 facility — which adds approximately 15,000 square feet of newly constructed space and 22 state-of-the-art critical care beds — marks a major milestone in the hospital’s ongoing effort to modernize emergency care and meet the growing healthcare needs of South Queens.

Jamaica Hospital has seen double the number of patients seeking emergency treatment since its construction in 1989. Originally designed to treat 60,000 patients annually, that number has grown to 120,000. This dramatic growth has created an urgent need for expanded modern infrastructure capable of meeting the increasing demand for emergency services.

By the end of the project, however, the hospital will be equipped to accommodate 150,000 annual visits. The hospital initially announced the launch of a large-scale construction project to modernize and expand its ED in 2023 after receiving a $150 million grant from New York State’s Statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program IV ED.

According to hospital officials, the expansion represents a pivotal investment in emergency and critical care services for the Queens community. Michael Hinck, a spokesperson for Jamaica Hospital, noted that the Jamaica community is historically underserved and has experienced gaps in care compared to other wealthier NYC communities.

“Jamaica Hospital serves an underserved community of people who face a lot of obstacles accessing care,” he explained. “They might not have options that other people in more affluent areas might have.”

According to research published on ScienceDirect , communities that experience social vulnerability, particularly related to housing and transportation, are more likely to use the emergency room for issues that would otherwise be managed in a primary care setting. Research shows this leads to operational inefficiencies and higher health care costs.

That is why the expansion to the hospital is crucial to Jamaica, a minority community that has historically been underfunded. A rendering of the completed expansion of Jamaica Hospital’s Emergency Department. Photo courtesy of Jamaica Hospital Medical Center While the hospital was originally designed to accommodate a smaller number of visitors, Hinck said the doctors and care teams do a great job managing their patients and delivering quality care.

In recent years, Jamaica Hospital has received national recognition for its services. Accolades include being named one of America's 100 Best Hospitals by Healthgrades in 2024 and a 2026 High Performing Hospital in stroke care by U.S. News and World Report.

“We pride ourselves on efficiency and making sure patients are seen quickly and thoroughly,” Hinck said. “We work with our inpatient units and our Department of Family Medicine, working collaboratively with support services, respiratory therapists and radiologists, all who do their part to make sure patients are seen, treated and either discharged or admitted in a timely manner.”

Dr. Shi Wen Lee, chairman of Emergency Medicine at Jamaica Hospital, said the expanded ED will give the hospital’s physicians, nurses and clinical teams the space and resources they need to provide emergency care in a patient-centered environment.

“Every aspect of this modernization project has been designed with the needs of our patients and our community in mind,” Lee said. “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,” added Bruce J. Flanz, president and CEO of Jamaica Hospital. “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.”