Plans are underway to open 36 additional permanent acute care in-patient beds at Royal University Hospital (RUH) in Saskatoon to accommodate patients admitted through the Emergency Department.
The new beds will be located in the space that will become available following the transition of maternal, newborn and pediatric services to the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital (JPCH) this fall.
“Our government is committed to improving the health care experience for patients requiring hospital admission following an emergency room visit,” Health Minister Jim Reiter said. “This $2.6 million investment in new acute care beds at Royal University Hospital aligns with other improvements that will allow our health system to better meet the needs of our growing population.”
The new acute care beds initiative will receive funding of $2.6 million in 2019-20, with annual funding of almost $8 million in subsequent years, and will be staffed by 56 full-time nursing positions. Royal University Hospital Foundation has generously donated new funding of $500,000 for purchasing new technology, beds and equipment for these areas.
“This is an important step in reducing the length of time admitted patients are waiting for an in-patient bed when they go through the Emergency Department. This will make a big difference in improving the care experience for patients who require the services of the Emergency Department,” said Diane Shendruk, Executive Director, Acute Care Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Health Authority.
A temporary 22-bed admission transition area will be set up for the interim period until plans are complete for the new permanent in-patient beds. This will allow for transferring admitted patients out of the Emergency Department, initiating the admission process and ordering treatments while patients wait for an appropriate in-patient bed to be vacated.
Source: Government of Saskatchewan https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2019/july/24/new-in-patient-acute-care-beds
