One local hospital cut the ribbon Wednesday on a multi-million-dollar facility designed to enhance their emergency room.

AHN Saint Vincent introduced its new $8 million Clinical Decision Unit.

The unit includes a 24 private bed unit to help shorten wait times and improve the overall patient experience.

The hospital received a $2 million state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Grant to assist with the unit.

“This space is dedicated to take care of our patients who have fallen under the observation level category. Those are the patients that are not well enough to go home from the emergency department just yet. Maybe they need further diagnostic evaluation or management options delivered to them,” said Chris Clark, President of AHN Saint Vincent.

Clark said this new unit will free up beds in the emergency unit as well as beds upstairs in the patient tower.