Here’s a first look at Belleville hospital’s new $25M intensive care unit

BJC HealthCare officially unveiled its new intensive care unit at Belleville Memorial Hospital with a ribbon cutting.

More than 20 new rooms were added and now span more than one floor to provide greater accessibility to high-risk patients. The hospitals ICU had previously been contained to the second floor only.

The new ICU also includes a new “heart room,” a facility specifically designated for cardiovascular treatment.

The project cost more than $25 million and took almost three years to complete, said Deborah Graves, the hospital’s president.

“We don’t really think about our reimbursement or returns,” Graves said in an interview, “The upgrade is really to make our staff happy to be in a working environment they’re happy with, and for the community, who can come in and be more comfortable, knowing they’re getting the best care, and have state-of-art communication tools.

“The rooms are much larger, there’s a lot of natural light, our systems are state-of-the-art and we have new ways to communicate with patients and families.”

The new communication methods include video conference screens in each room, so patients and doctors can confer with specialists or loved ones without having to wait and to protect those who have compromised immunity.

ICU Manager Brooke Beck said the upgrades modernize the facility and help patients find more comfort.

“We have lifts that can help patients up to 1,000 pounds, new video chat equipment that make it easier to find specialists and talk to loved ones, more spacious rooms and a larger waiting area,” she said.

Each room in the new wing is single occupancy, a change from the previous ICU unit. Additionally, the facility is between the operating room and emergency room, allowing minimum transit between areas.

“Having reduced waiting times for patients is essential to providing them that care that really makes them feel comfortable at times when they need it the most,” Graves said.