Grampians Health, in partnership with the state government, on Wednesday unveiled artists plans for a look at how a new emergency department will shift the entire orientation of Ballarat Base Hospital back to a main entrance off Sturt Street - this time with a dedicated driveway.

This massive, $541.6 million overhaul is the biggest build in Ballarat history to future-proof healthcare for a booming Ballarat region. At the same time, there is a juggle for the Base Hospital to continue servicing the wider region at full capacity, including its bursting emergency department.

While no completion date has been set for the new emergency department, which will form the ground floor of a multi-storey tower, Grampians Health CEO Dale Fraser said the health service was also actively exploring how to open emergency while still building above it.

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"We were tracking at an alarming rate in emergency department numbers pre-COVID," Mr Fraser said. "One of tragedies of COVID has been a reduction in people seeking care, surgery and deferring other care. There has been a drop-off in our ED numbers in the last two years but in the last three-four months they're starting to come back up again.

"What was looking quite challenging two years ago, we had a bit of a reprieve on during the pandemic."

Mr Fraser said it was hard to predict the impact a new Melton hospital might have on patient demand for the Base Hospital. Construction is set to start on Melton's hospital this year with a touted completion in 2026.

Before the pandemic, Melton patient numbers had been particularly growing in Ballarat's emergency department.

Mr Fraser said the planned Ballarat hospital redevelopment would offer the region enough capacity for another 20 to 30 years.

The new multi-storey tower for Ballarat Base Hospital will be designed to cater for future upward growth. The building could also cater for a second helipad, but this is not in the existing plans or budget.

Demolition works began this month on Eildon House and the Edward Wilson Building off Drummond Street to make way for a new support services building in the first stage of hospital redevelopment.

To keep the hospital operating at capacity, Mr Fraser reassured a lot of preparatory work had already been made particularly to secure and maintain access to cancer treatment.

This has included reinforcement works to the radiotherapy centre due to the highly sensitive and precise nature of treatments that Mr Fraser said did not mix well with vibrations and digging.

A protected walkway is also being constructed from the main building block to Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre. This will help staff to move patients to and from St John of God Ballarat Hospital for radiation and day chemotherapy.

"Extra boarding, working different hours, having some quiet times for builders that sort of detail - we're very mindful of that because we want to provide optimal care," Mr Fraser said. "Everything we can do speaking to the patients on what's going on so they' re aware of what's going on."

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