SASKATOON -- Royal University Hospital (RUH) has added 36 acute care in-patient beds to accommodate people admitted through the emergency department.
The new unit has expanded to 48 beds in total, including 12 previously existing adult medicine overflow beds. It is located in a space that became available after maternal services moved to the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in September 2019.
Saskatchewan Health Minister Jim Reiter said these additions will help with emergency room congestion and wait times.
“You got flu season where you might have a number of people that might need to be admitted and no bed available, so they’re essentially referred to as hallway medicine. So, in those cases now, there’s 36 more incremental beds available for patients to use, a much more comfortable, much more appropriate setting. It’s better for staff, it’s better for the patient,” he said.
This announcement comes a day after the Saskatchewan Health Authority released the findings of two studies conducted last year on patient flow and capacity issues at major hospitals in Saskatoon and Regina.
“An analysis conducted in 2019 showed that opening more medicine beds would make the most difference to our capacity issues, as medicine patients make up the largest volume of patients waiting in Emergency for an in-patient bed,” Vince Ashmeade, in-patient medicine director, oncology and palliative care for the Saskatchewan Health Authority, said in a press release.
“These beds will make a huge difference to patients’ overall care experience, as they will be located in a unit with a specialized and integrated care team.”
Norma Noesgaard, the manager of this new unit, was involved with planning the renovations and said she wanted more space in each room, giving staff more space to work. Patients also have more space to maneuver, decreasing their risk of falls, which are a huge contributor to extended hospital stays, she said.
“So, we wanted to make sure the environment was safe.”
This unit will cost $8 million annually to operate with more than 50 full-time nursing and support positions.
The beds are expected to start filling up on March 9.
