Spirit Lake, IA (northwestiowanow.com) — Lakes Regional Healthcare began an expansion and renovation at their Emergency Room this week. CEO Jason Harrington says the current ER was constructed in 1993 when they saw about 65 hundred patients per year, now it’s about 9 thousand.

Harrington tells KICD News the project will take about 22 months, but at least eight ER rooms will be available at all times.

Eight million dollars of the construction expenses will come out of cash reserves at Lakes Regional Healthcare.