Reid Health to reconfigure patient unit to better meet community's evolving needs
Transformation will result in increased bed capacity for acute care
Nov. 29, 2022 -- Reid Health announced today it will begin to
reconfigure its current geriatric psychiatric unit into a medical surgical unit
to better meet the evolving needs of its patients. Expanding the number of
medical surgical beds is specifically geared toward helping provide additional
capacity to support an increased need for general acute care services.
Reid Health's investment in the transformation of
the space to a medical surgical unit will include technological and physical
upgrades that will result in a state-of-the-art unit with 32 additional
inpatient rooms capable of caring for patients with medical conditions that
include strokes, general surgery recovery, and more.
"The needs of the patients we serve are evolving,
and we are constantly evaluating what we need to do differently to meet those
needs and provide the very best care possible," said Craig Kinyon, Reid Health President/CEO. "We gave
considerable thought before making this change and ultimately determined transforming this unit will allow us to meet an important community need by
maximizing the space we have available to treat a broader array of acute care
conditions."
As part of this transition, Reid Health will work
closely with other providers in the region to ensure seamless coordination of
care, so future geriatric psychiatric patients who need inpatient
treatment can be cared for at other facilities. Current geriatric psychiatric
patients will continue to receive care at Reid Health until
they are ready to safely discharge. All clinicians and other team members
of the Reid Health geriatric psychiatric department will transition to other
areas of the hospital, including Reid Health's adult psychiatric department, in
the coming days and weeks.
"The needs of the patients we serve are evolving, and we are constantly evaluating what we need to do differently to meet those needs and provide the very best care possible. We gave considerable thought before making this change and ultimately determined transforming this unit will allow us to meet an important community need by maximizing the space we have available to treat a broader array of acute care conditions." -- Craig Kinyon, Reid Health President/CEO
"We are seeing fewer and fewer geriatric
psychiatric patients come through our doors needing inpatient care. This is
largely because there are now expanded care options for the elderly in our
area," said Reid Health's Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Misti
Foust-Cofield. "We have great working relationships with these community
providers and will partner with them to identify the most appropriate setting
for patients who need this kind of care."
Extended care facilities in the region, among
others, offer a range of services from outpatient clinics and telehealth to
substance abuse treatment and "whole health," which includes physical, mental, and social well-being. Reid Health's psychiatric clinical team will provide
telehealth and other support to those extended care facilities as part of a
reinvigorated collaborative alliance. In addition, many patients will be
eligible for services through Reid Health's Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly
(PACE), which provides primary healthcare, medication
support, meals and nutritional counseling, transportation, and social services.
"Together, we at Reid Health, along with other community providers
of behavioral health services, will ensure patients receive the care they
need," Kinyon said. "The reconfiguration will allow us to continue
focusing on the health and well-being of all our patients -- no matter their age,
background, or socioeconomic status."