The Time is Now to Expand Critical Care Space The COVID-19 outbreak has highlighted the need for expanded critical care space at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. In the absence of a vaccine to prevent COVID-19, we urgently need additional space so we can care for all of the patients who look to us for critical care. Traditionally patients in our critical care unit have needed expert, intensive care for heart attacks, heart failure, strokes, respiratory or renal failure. The recent pandemic, our increasing provision of acute heart services and population growth in our community has heightened our need for critical care space. Providence St. Vincent serves as the primary community hospital for Washington County. More than 50% of the county’s residents seek medical care here. Providence St. Vincent is also the area’s main referral center for advanced care in cardiology and neurosciences. In 2019, our doctors and nurses cared for more than 4,000 adults with critical conditions.
Growing to Care for the Most Vulnerable On typical weekdays, our critical care unit is filled to 80% capacity. As we expand services for heart failure and infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, we face an increasing need for additional critical care beds. Without adequate bed space, some patients are held in the emergency department until a bed becomes available. Other patients cannot be transferred in from other hospitals. Less critical patients may have procedures rescheduled or cancelled. Washington County population growth is expected to continue climbing, with the number of older residents increasing significantly. Without additional space at Providence St. Vincent will face limitations in serving hundreds of patients who need complex, intensive care.