FARRELL, Pa. - Long wait times in emergency rooms are a common experience at hospitals.

UPMC Horizon is working to change that, unveiling a completed expansion to their emergency department Wednesday morning.

"It depends on the time of day and really the day of the week, but it could be anywhere from half an hour to six, eight hours," Zachary Lenhart, UPMC Jameson and Horizon's VP of operations said.

Lenhart added the problem is mainly caused by an increased volume of emergency room in recent years.

By renovating a former office space to hold 5 new beds, the hospital expects to be able to treat up to 40 additional patients per day, reducing wait times for patient care.

Chief of emergency medicine Dr. Peter Adler tells 21 News the hospital expects to reserve the emergency department expansion for patients experiencing less severe symptoms, or those whose cases may not take as long to treat.

"The most critical patients who require advanced resuscitation will likely still be seen in our main department as they are now," Dr. Adler said. "This space will be designed to see the lower acuity type."

The additional emergency department wing provides the same service as the rooms within the main department, and will have its own dedicated staff.