Catholic Medical Center (CMC), a member of GraniteOne Health, has opened a new unit aimed at providing tailored care for patients who come into the Emergency Department (ED). The Clinical Decision Unit (CDU) is located next to the ED and will provide short-term, quality care to patients who need closer observation of their condition. These are patients who aren’t ready to go home but don’t necessarily need to be admitted to the hospital.
The CDU is a fast-paced environment where the providers are dedicated to effectively evaluating patients. The rooms are similar to private inpatient rooms, providing a comfortable stay. The length of stay in a CDU is typically 8-16 hours.
“People don’t usually plan to go to the Emergency Department, nor are they eager to stay in the hospital if they don’t have to,” says CMC President & CEO Joseph Pepe, MD. “But with a place like the CDU, CMC is helping to make an urgent medical situation as comfortable as it can be with the best possible outcomes.”
Patients who are monitored in the CDU come to the Emergency Department with varying symptoms. Some of the more common conditions prompting a CDU stay include:
- Chest pain
- Fainting
- Hypertension
- Asthma
- Kidney stone
- Dehydration
- Hypo/hyperglycemia
- TIA (mini-stroke symptoms)
- Deep vein Thrombosis
- Anemia
- Diverticulitis
- Vertigo
While in the CDU, patients will have their symptoms reevaluated to determine a plan of care. This could include blood work and other testing, monitoring of vital signs, and diagnostic imaging. The goal of the CDU is to provide patients with a relatively quick diagnosis and treatment plan, whether they will ultimately be sent home or admitted to the hospital.
The CDU is the latest in a series of renovations and expansion projects at CMC. Other recent work has included a new practice, Vein & Vascular Specialists in Bedford; a new connector corridor, easing the path for patients from the skybridge to the hospital; and a relocated Outpatient Non-Invasive Cardiology suite. Construction is underway on a ten-bed addition to the Intensive Care Unit.
