St. Francis Hospital previewed new enhancements to its Medical Telemetry Unit on April 11. The 42-bed unit is designed for patients with chronic heart conditions or who have just had open heart surgery, as well as for medical/surgical patients. The redesigned unit increases the number of private patient rooms in the telemetry unit to 16 private rooms.
The redesigned unit adds more work stations for computer charting for physicians, and contains an updated central telemetry room where a patient’s heart rate and rhythm may be continuously monitored at a central location.
The unit is also designed with patient and family comfort, convenience and safety in mind, said Angelica Abuton, nurse manager of the unit. In addition to adding more private rooms, the rooms are designed to have a warm, comfortable setting; each patient has their own flat-screen television; there is a room in the unit where family members may warm food for themselves or patients (if appropriate) while they are visiting.
“We are in the midst of a top-down renovation at Saint Francis Hospital and are moving toward more private rooms with more amenities,” said Jeffrey Murphy, president of St. Francis Hospital. “We have updated the family birthplace, ambulatory surgery, the electrophysiology lab, and now the telemetry unit.”
Approximately 50 administrators, doctors, nurses and volunteers gathered in the unit on April 11 to participate in a service in which the unit was blessed by Father Euloio Roselada. Many persons spoke during the service. A common theme reflected in the comments was a commitment to service to improve the health and well-being of the community.