title: New type of center focuses on caring for the most critically ill patients, decompressing ED that serves patients at the upper end of the acuity spectrum.
abstract: The University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) in Ann Arbor has opened a new unit within its ED to focus on caring for the most critically ill patients Who present to the ED. Dubbed the Massey Emergency Critical Care Center, or EC3, the model is the first of its kind in the country, with its own ICU and a lower nurse-patient ratio than the main ED to facilitate closer monitoring. Developers hope.the new unit will decompress the ED, shorten wait times, and potentially reduce the demand for ICU care on the upper floors. The adult ED at UMHS receives patients on the higher end of the acuity spectrum, with high-acuity patients making up 90% of the patient volume. Staffing of the EC3 includes emergency nurses and physicians who have had extra training in critical care. The EC3 will serve as a new research center for emergency critical care patients, and a training ground for physicians and nurses looking to enhance their skills in critical care.
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D062072:Patient Acuity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index