The Saskatchewan Government announced six beds for Intensive Care Units are now being used in three hospitals.
Two are being used at Regina General Hospital, three at St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon, and one at Prince Albert Victoria Hospital.
In a news release, the province says plans are underway to add the remaining 5 beds to 2 other hospitals later this year, for a total of 11. That includes 4 at Regina’s Pasqua Hospital and one at the Yorkton Regional Health Centre.
The ICU bed expansion is the first phase of the government’s multi-year strategy to create 31 additional ICU beds province-wide, for a total of 110 beds.
$12.5-million was set aside in this year’s budget for 11 additional ICU beds to address overcapacity and high occupancy rates.
“Our government has taken crucial steps forward to begin delivering on our commitment to provide more ICU beds to benefit our sickest patients, such as those requiring surgery and advanced procedures,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said in the release. “These additions will also allow existing ICU beds to be used to their full potential and will result in less service disruption and staff redeployment.”
“We are grateful for the province’s investment in strengthening critical care in our urban, rural and northern regional hospitals,” Saskatchewan Health Authority’s (SHA) Executive Director for Provincial Programs – Tertiary Care Lori Garchinski said in the same release. “Our teams are continuing to build on the lessons learned from the pandemic and this ongoing expansion in ICU and high-acuity capacity is foundational in advancing connected care for Saskatchewan residents.”
According to the province, there are currently 85 adult ICU beds across nine regional and tertiary sites.
(Photo: Government of Saskatchewan)