The recent “Boys from Oklahoma” concert series happening at Boone Pickens Stadium has brought thousands to Stillwater this weekend. Stillwater Medical’s emergency care services are once again staffing up to meet demand.

As the Stillwater community has grown, it has put a strain on emergency services including Stillwater Medical Center’s emergency room. Its last expansion was in 2006 and with only 15 patient rooms, it simply doesn’t have enough space to keep up with increasing demand. The Stillwater population has grown 10.9 percent since 2006 and continues to host large events that drive economic development and attract thousands to the community.

“More days than not, the ER is full every time I work,” explained Lee Bird, a dedicated emergency room volunteer. “When there are 15 rooms and ambulances are still coming in, it becomes a tough day.”

The current facility frequently operates at capacity. It was built to accommodate 26,000 visits per year and saw 33,000 visits last year. It has broken its own records of daily patient visits six times in just the last few months. This adds stress and strain on workers who are committed to providing the highest quality care to patients.

Emergency room professionals describe a healthcare landscape dramatically transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent population changes. This has fundamentally altered emergency medical care, revealing systemic vulnerabilities and increasing healthcare worker burnout.

“We’re seeing a lot more critical patients,” said Hayley Morgan, emergency room charge nurse at Stillwater Medical. “If things don’t get better, staff are going to continue to feel burnout. They’re going to continue to feel stretched thin and exhausted.”

Stillwater Medical Center is committed to growing to meet the healthcare needs of the region and has announced plans for expansion. The Stillwater Medical Foundation is working with the community to raise support for this project. The proposed expansion will reduce patient wait times by adding rooms, upgrade the facility with modern equipment and help retain experienced emergency medicine providers so our community continues to receive expert care.

“There’s two types of people in this community. People that need emergency care and people that will,” said Vance Hunter, a community leader investing in the project.

Vance and his wife, Lori, know what it is to depend on emergency care when it matters most. Vance came into the emergency room from complications of undiagnosed prostate cancer. Emergency care professionals took time to understand his complex medical situation, demonstrating the human element of healthcare delivery. This inspired them to create the Still Strong Emergency Department Education Endowment to support educational opportunities for emergency care providers aiding in recruitment and retention.

“Very few people are taught to give. You have to have somebody show you how to give. The ER staff, they give. We’re not donating to this hospital. We’re investing,” Vance said.

As north-central Oklahoma continues to grow, Stillwater Medical Center’s emergency room stands at a critical juncture. The proposed expansion represents more than a construction project—it’s a commitment to community health, professional excellence, and compassionate medical care.

“This is for the community. This is for you. This is to provide you with the best care, the fastest care, the safest care. That’s what we do,” said Brenda Quiring, emergency department director at Stillwater Medical.

The expansion will preserve the heart of emergency care: supporting those who need help most, exactly when they need it most. If you are interested in donating to the project, visit https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___www.smc-foundation.org___.YzJ1OnN0aWxsd2F0ZXJtZWRpY2FsOmM6bzozMjhmMDA2OTE4MDcwZTZmNTIxNTA2ZDExMzY5NTRjYzo3OjZkMTI6OGZmNTAzODMzZDYzODdiOGE4ZWFjZDNkYjBlMGQ4OGQzNGU0ZDI3MDZkZDY1M2MxZTViZmNjMGJlNzJjZjQzNjp0OlQ6Tg.