Penn Highlands Clearfield Opens New Inpatient Care Unit

Penn Highlands Clearfield marked the official opening of its Extensive Care Unit earlier this month.

The new seven-bed unit, located on the fourth floor, provides intermediate care that is a step up from a regular telemetry floor where patients’ heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate, as well as blood-oxygen level and electrocardiograms, are closely monitored.

Patients admitted to the unit include orthopedic and post-operative surgical patients, patients who need monitored intravenous medication administration, those requiring short-term, uncomplicated ventilator support and pediatric patients requiring continuous cardiorespiratory monitoring.

Kathy Bedger, M.S., R.N., vice president and chief nursing officer, said the new unit, which features private rooms, offers exciting opportunities to enhance the patient experience. She said the rooms are spacious, newly remodeled and have bedside monitors capable of multiple monitoring modalities. There is also a separate family/guest waiting area near the elevators on the fourth floor.

Physicians and nurses use the latest healthcare protocols to provide care and ensure recovery and promotion of health maintenance for patients. They are backed by a full range of ancillary services including imaging, laboratory, cardiopulmonary, pharmacy, nutrition services, environmental services, case management and physical, occupational and speech therapies, among others.

Bedger said the team develops a plan of care for the day which is communicated to the patient, patient family members, primary care doctors, as well as other physicians involved in the patient’s care.

“We have a wonderful team of highly skilled and caring healthcare professionals whose top priority is to provide excellent care to patients,” Bedger said.

Shaun Patel, M.D., medical director of the hospitalist program at Penn Highlands Clearfield, agreed and added, “Our exceptional physicians, nurses and support staff are focused on making the Extensive Care Unit a comfortable and healing environment for our patients.”

Becky Stiner was one of the first patients admitted to the new unit and appreciated the care she received.

“The surroundings are pleasant and the nurses are the best around. All of the hospital staff, especially those in the Emergency Department and Extensive Care Unit, are great,” she said.

Bedger noted there will be times when a transfer to another facility might be necessary based on the patient’s medical needs.

“We will continue to serve all patients that can be safely cared for within the walls of our facility. There will be times when transfer may be necessary due to the need for a specialist or treatment modality that is unavailable at Penn Highlands Clearfield. The members of the Penn Highlands Clearfield attending medical staff will collaborate with the emergency department physicians to make the decision that is most appropriate for each individual patient,” she explained.

For more information about the Extensive Care Unit, please contact Kate Baumgratz, R.N., director, at 768-2160