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Acute care consolidation projects launched in 2009
Saskatoon Health Region consolidated its three General Internal Medicine units to two - SPH and RUH - in January 2009. As part of this phase of the service alignment plan:
- Patients awaiting long term care placement will now cohort at SCH.
- The Progressive Care Unit (PCU) moved from SCH to SPH on February 2, 2009.
- A Surgical Observation Unit opened in 3200 at SCH on January 19, 2009.
- There will be 24/7 critical care associate (CCA) and respiratory therapist (RT) coverage at SCH, and general internal medicine and general surgery consultation will also be available.
Acute care consolidation projects:
(Select a link to view the topic or scroll down to view them all)
Medical Day / Medical Assessment Clinic (MAC)
Acute General Internal Medicine
Transitional Care Unit at SCH
Progressive Care Unit (PCU)
Surgical Observation Unit at SCH
Urology Consolidation
Medical Day / Medical Assessment Clinic (MAC)
- The Medical Day/MAC unit will move from SPH 6th to accommodate 12 new inpatient beds.
- The nephrology assessment portion of MAC joined the transplant clinic at SPH as of January 5, 2009.
- Nephrology treatments and infusions from MAC now occur in the SPH Ambulatory Care Centre.
- Provision will be made for Internal Medicine to see urgent patients as required in the Ambulatory Care Unit at SPH.
- A new clinical treatment centre was developed as part of the SCH ambulatory care services effective January 12, 2009. This will accommodate the treatments/infusions currently done in MAC. Those currently done in SCH ambulatory care will be added to the volume from SPH to create a full-time clinical treatment centre.
Acute General Internal Medicine
- There will be 85 General Internal Medicine inpatient beds at SPH and 35 at RUH.
- The existing Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU) at RUH will be divided, so that there is one CTU at RUH and one at SPH. The presence of a CTU at SPH will be new and exciting, and planning details are currently being worked through.
- Physician coverage will be provided by Hospitalists and CTU physicians. Hospitalists are general medicine physicians who provide care to a select number of medicine patients. CTU physicians provide education to residents while caring for a select number of patients.
- Renovations to 6th Medicine are complete and 7th floor is currently underway.
- Clinical and operations support services have reviewed the impact of increased acute medicine at SPH and will respond as they are able.
Transitional Care Unit at SCH
- Patients awaiting long term care will nowcohort in a total of 56 beds on 6200 and 6300 at SCH.
- The new staffing model focuses on the needs of the patient, with more licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and special care aides providing care. Approximately 30 new special care aide positions have been added.
- There will be one recreation therapist for 6200 and 6300.
- It has been decided that alternate level of care (ALC) patients at SCH are responsible for payment for personal items (excluding drugs at this time). Residents in all other long term care facilities pay for their personal items and drugs.
- Family physicians will be the most responsible physician (MRP) who cares for these patients. Details of this coverage are being finalized.
Progressive Care Unit (PCU)
- The Progressive Care Unit moved to SPH on February 2, 2009 and is located adjacent to the ICU on 2nd floor.
- The PCU will be a “closed” medical/surgical unit with admissions and discharges determined by the intensivist.
- The PCU will eventually house two VTU beds currently situated in SPH ICU.
- The goal is to run six PCU beds which will be based upon staffing.
- Staff education and orientation occurred in January 2009.
Surgical Observation Unit at SCH
- This six-bed unit is located in room 3253 on the orthopaedic unit and will provide close observation and care for SCH surgical patients who currently access PCU, and for patients currently on the surgical units and require closer observation.
- This unit will follow an open model of care, with the attending surgeon as MRP.
- Staff education and orientation occurred in December and January, with all staff training completed in April 2009.
Urology Consolidation
- Inpatient Urology Services consolidated to St. Paul’s Hospital on February 2, 2009.
- Day Surgery Urology Services will continue to be provided at SPH and SCH.
- SPH Foundation has provided the funding for a Holmium laser, intraoperative Lithotripter and cystoscopy shelving for the SPH OR as needed equipment for urology consolidation.
- Staff training for OR, including laser training, and unit staff for procedures occurred in early 2009.
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