Today, Bon Secours leaders, along with Chesterfield County leadership and representatives of Chesterfield Fire & EMS representatives, broke ground on an 11-bed freestanding emergency department (ED) and imaging center currently being referred to as Bon Secours – Chester Emergency Center. The facility will serve as an extension of Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center and will be staffed with medical personnel who can provide the same services and level of care found in a traditional hospital. 

“We are committed to expanding access to emergency services to meet the needs of our rapidly growing community and look forward to establishing much-needed health care services in this medical underserved community,” said Joe Wilkins, president, Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center. “This new emergency center will provide easier, more convenient access to compassionate emergency care for both walk-in patients and emergency medical services partners in the southern part of our region.”

The anticipated opening date of the new one-story, 24,000 square foot facility is summer 2022. It will house:

  • Separate public and ambulance entrances
  • 11-bed emergency department
  • Medical imaging center, including CT, MRI, ultrasound, and radiography that will serve both scheduled outpatients and ED patients
  • Occupational health
  • Direct admission capabilities

A few years ago, Chesterfield Fire & EMS approached Bon Secours for help to ask for support in opening additional emergency health care services in the area to improve geographic access for residents who travel extended distances to access services. Based on data provided by Chesterfield Fire & EMS, it was revealed that unit reliability, which is defined as the percentage of time that an emergency transport unit is available to respond, was lowest in this area of the county with a five-year average of 69.14 percent. In addition, the 65+ population in this area was expected to grow by 50 percent from 2015 to 2025, which its expected will further burden these units as demand for emergency services will increase.

“Faced with anticipated increases in emergency medical services demands even before the COVID-19 pandemic, we knew we had to find a solution to ensure the Chester area had greater access to quality health care,” said Edward “Loy” Senter, Jr., chief, Chesterfield County Fire & EMS. “We are grateful that Bon Secours answered the call to address the needs in the medically underserved community, and we are happy to be here today to celebrate an exciting milestone for a facility that will improve access to health care in the greater Chester area.”

Bon Secours – Chester Emergency Center will be located along U.S. Route 1 at 12021 Jefferson Davis Highway, Chester, Va. 23831, and will be the fourth freestanding emergency department the health system operates in the Richmond market. Bon Secours Westchester Emergency Center opened in 2011 serving Midlothian and Powhatan communities, Bon Secours Short Pump Emergency Center opened in 2018 serving the Far West End community, and Bon Secours acquired Southside Emergency Care Center in 2020 serving the Petersburg community.

Typical conditions that patients would use a freestanding emergency department for are:

  • Life-threatening conditions (such as heart attacks, strokes and respiratory issues)
  • Medical problems that come on suddenly (such as fever, infection and severe allergic reactions
  • Major injuries (such as burns, fractures and head injuries)
  • Minor injuries (such as cuts and sprains)
  • Complications from chronic illnesses
  • Poisonings and overdoses

The new facility will be located approximately 19 miles from St. Francis Medical Center and 16 miles from Bon Secours Southside Medical Center.