HENDERSON (KTNV) — As more people gather for the holidays and more people get sick, the pressure on local hospitals is undeniable.
I've learned hospitals across the Las Vegas Valley are now at or near capacity, forcing families to endure long wait times in emergency rooms.
But starting Tuesday morning, a much-anticipated expansion as a local hospital could bring some much-needed relief to the Henderson community.
I spoke with a local mother whose recent experience highlights just how critical this change is.
Yanira Gomez tells me her experience started with what seemed like a mild fever. But when her daughter struggled to breathe, Gomez knew it was serious.
Like many of us, when Gomez took her daughter to the emergency room, she encountered an agonizing wait. She told me it took at least an hour, if not closer to an hour and 40 minutes.
Her experience is a familiar one across the valley. Hospitals like St. Rose Siena in Henderson are operating at or near capacity on Monday morning.
Chief operating officer Josederic Scott tells me about 30 patients were waiting in the emergency department for a hospital bed upstairs — a number that often climbs to the mid-30s during flu season.
"Those 30 patients could be upstairs right now, in a bed," Scott told me.
When I first covered this story last year, the fifth floor at St. Rose Siena was just a construction site, built to address overcrowding. Throughout my reporting, I've heard from families like Gomez's and from hospital staff who have seen firsthand how overcrowding impacts care.
WATCH: Capacity issues force Henderson hospital to treat E.R. patients in the hallway
Back in December, I saw E.R. hallways filled with patients as the hospital hit 110% capacity. When I returned Monday morning, the E.R. was still busy — but relief is on the way. Scott tells me at 1 a.m. Tuesday, patients will move into 36 new rooms providing much-needed space for medical care.
"We are currently at capacity," Scott told me. "We refer to it as peak season, but we haven't hit it yet. We are seeing more of the incremental growth, as far as patients coming to the [emergency department]. So having these beds will be key."
It's not just here at St. Rose Siena. As the valley approaches peak season for our hospitals, the new West Henderson Hospital opened on Dec. 3, adding 150 patient rooms and 36 emergency rooms to the mix.
"Does this make you feel better, that hopefully the care will improve at our hospitals?" I asked Gomez.
"Oh yeah. Hopefully, it improves it a lot," she said.
For families like hers, especially during this flu season, it's not just about having more rooms — it's about having hope.
"I need to wait nothing," Gomez said. "Because when it is an emergency, they have to be quick, right?"
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