New observation unit will help M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center address emergency department crowding
A new 11-bed expansion to the observation unit at M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center – East Bank will make more efficient use of hospital resources and free up inpatient beds for people who need more active care.
The medical center, like other hospitals across Minnesota, has recently experienced overcrowding and longer wait times in its emergency departments and other units as more people seek care. At the same time, the number of step-down facilities like nursing homes or rehabilitation centers has decreased statewide, creating a bottleneck because there are fewer places to send patients once they no longer need acute hospital care. The medical center’s conversion from double-occupancy to single-occupancy rooms has also contributed to the capacity strain.
The newly expanded observation unit is perfectly equipped to help reduce this strain by bridging the gap between emergency care and full hospital admission.
Often, after receiving emergency department treatment, patients need short-term monitoring to ensure that their health is stable, and they are ready to return home. Similarly, patients undergoing minimally invasive procedures require a brief period of observation before they are discharged from the hospital. The expanded observation unit at the medical center is staffed with a dedicated team of healthcare professionals and equipped with state-of-the-art monitoring technology to ensure each patient receives the appropriate level of care and supervision required for their condition.
“Observation units care for patients who generally need to remain in the hospital for approximately 24 hours for further evaluation of their medical condition or recovery progress post procedure,” said Sarah Fredensborg, director of nursing at M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center.
On any given day at the medical center, between 10 and 12 patients who need this observation care are instead placed in inpatient units, which means fewer beds are available for others who need a higher level of care. Previously, the medical center’s observation unit had 9 beds. The second unit adds 11 more.
By freeing up inpatient beds, the expand observation unit expansion helps prevent unnecessary extended stays in the emergency department, which will in turn reduce wait times and ensure that emergency beds are available for those in immediate need. This enhancement is a significant step towards improving our service delivery and patient outcomes.
“This expansion allows emergency department beds to be freed up more quickly for new patients, thereby reducing overall wait times,” said Olivia Ajja, chief operating officer of acute care at the medical center. “The new observation unit allows us to redistribute resources to better serve the community.”
