Sign In
Upcoming Event
Free Newsletter
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center expands Medical Intensive Care Unit
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center expands Medical Intensive Care Unit
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center opened its expanded Medical Intensive Care Unit today.
The 24-bed unit on the seventh floor of Hershey Medical Center replaces the previous 16-bed unit on the sixth floor, which will be renovated into additional patient care space, the hospital said.
The new MICU was designed with extensive feedback from patients, families and staff. The larger, state-of-the-art rooms are designed with a family space – with fold-out sofa – outside of the immediate care space. This layout allows family to be present while staff care for the patient.
Staff wellness areas include a “quiet room” to help team members recharge as well as a staff lounge and mothers’ lounge.
In addition, the MICU is designed with space for collaboration between doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and other team members.
“Our new MICU provides the most advanced medical intensive care in the region, which is what patients expect from the region’s only academic medical center,” said Deborah Berini, president of the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. “This new unit is special beyond the technology. It was designed by our physicians, staff and patients to create a care environment that supports our teams as they work together to deliver unparalleled outcomes and patient- and family-centered care.”
The unit includes infrastructure and flexibility for future surges of special pathogen patients, such as those with COVID-19 infections. In addition, one dual isolation room and two patient-of-size rooms will support patient and staff safety.
The addition is the latest in a series of projects designed to improve patient access at Hershey Medical Center. Others include the Emergency Department expansion, the three-floor vertical expansion of Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, renovations to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit on the second floor and the upcoming renovations to the third floor of the Medical Center.
