LAGUNA HILLS

Saddleback Memorial Medical Center is awaiting state approval on its plans for an expanded emergency room, Senior Vice President Stephen B. Geidt said. Last month, hospital staff moved its administration offices to a new site to make room from the expansion. The emergency room, which will be called the Meiklejohn Critical Care Facility, will provide the hospital with an additional 15 beds, doubling its capacity.

Geidt said he expects the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development to approve the permit requests in January--one year after they were received. He said contractors will break ground as soon as the permits are granted.