Clinical Decision Unit: New area helps meet community need
A multi-year project to help increase capacity at Providence St. Peter Hospital is helping increase patient privacy, eliminate patients waiting for placement out of the Emergency Department, and lower wait times in the Emergency Department.
One major part of the project – the 42-bed Clinical Decision Unit – is designed for patients needing additional monitoring. These rooms are located on the second floor, in close proximity to the ED.
Since the opening of the Clinical Decision Unit, wait times to see a provider in the ED have decreased by nearly 20 minutes.
St. Peter has also added nine additional beds in our Surgical Admission and Discharge Unit, to help with flow through our operating rooms and procedural areas.
“These improvements allow for better patient flow out of the emergency department, and surgical and procedural areas,” said Suzie Scott, South Puget Sound Chief Nursing Officer.
Projects of this scale require a significant capital investment from our Providence family, and we are grateful to our Foundation donors who will help make this vision a reality. Philanthropy is essential to the ability to expand key programs to meet current and future needs. Find out more information about the Providence Southwest Washington Foundation here.
Options available if you need non-emergent care
If you need care but it doesn't rise to the level of needing to call 911 or head to the emergency department, there are still options where you don’t delay care.
First, try to contact your primary care providers. If you can’t get in, Providence ExpressCare Virtual might be an option for you. In minutes after logging into virtual.providence.org you can see a provider through an online video at your computer or smartphone from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. Any needed prescriptions will be sent to your local pharmacy. You can also schedule a video visit with a provider.
Need an in-person visit? There are several express and immediate care options available in Southwest Washington. Providence has immediate care clinics in West Olympia, Lacey and recently re-opened in Hawks Prairie. At the Providence ExpressCare – Lacey Marketplace, you can walk in or make online appointments. Find more information about walk-in clinics here.
Need to establish a primary care provider? Having a primary care provider is one of the most important things someone can do for their own health. Please note it may take several weeks or months for an initial appointment. To help find the right provider for you, call 1.855.776.4362.
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