MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington is expanding its emergency department to accommodate growing patient volume through a multi-phase renovation project. The hospital, located in Wilton, is in the second of five phases and preparing to enter phase three, which will double emergency department capacity.
The expansion will increase emergency rooms from approximately seven to about 18, with completion expected around Memorial Day. Patient volume has grown substantially—the hospital now serves about 19,000 patients annually, up from roughly 13,000 seven years ago. Hospital President Barbara Sergio attributed the growth to gradual increases, noting that the addition of urgent care services has helped direct less critical cases away from the emergency department.
Future construction phases will disrupt access to the hospital’s main entrance through the summer and into fall. The front canopy for patient drop-off and pickup will be replaced due to structural issues, and the main lobby will be fully renovated. Hospital officials are working with contractors to develop alternative access routes for patients needing lab work or imaging during this period.
The upgraded emergency department will include dedicated behavioral health and mental health crisis spaces with new equipment designed to improve care for patients requiring longer stays. While construction will cause some temporary frustration with traffic pattern changes, officials expect future phases to move more quickly, with the overall project potentially nearing completion by the end of the year or early 2027.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.sunjournal.com/2026/04/16/mainehealth-franklin-hospital-to-double-emergency-room-capacity/