CRH opens more intensive care beds as COVID crush continues

Columbus Regional Health is opening additional intensive care unit space in the hospital as capacity is maxed out under the current COVID-19 surge.

Kelsey DeClue, spokeswoman for the hospital, said last week that when the need was triggered, the hospital planned to open the new ICU unit in a portion of the cardiac catherization lab.

DeClue explains the process to create new ICU space in the hospital includes not just the physical bed and life support equipment but also information services, medicine, medical supplies and other services.

The additional unit is meant to handle any overflow of critically ill patients, DeClue said. For several weeks, the existing ICU space at CRH has been running at capacity.

Currently the hospital’s ability to transfer patients in and out of CRH and to other facilities is severely limited.

This comes on the heels of the announcement that the hospital would be stopping elective surgical procedures in the Surgical Services, Endoscopy Center and Outpatient Cath Lab as of yesterday.

The hospital is asking the community to take precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19 including getting vaccinated and wearing masks.