Peter Mac's ECU takes pressure off ICU next door
15 November 2024
They stand on the footbridge between Peter Mac and Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) and reflect on the hundreds of patients that have stopped needing to make this trip.
Dr Ian Richardson and Nurse Manager Erin Williams work in Peter Mac's Enhanced Care Unit (ECU), which cares for patients who need intensive monitoring and support often around the time of surgery.
Before the ECU was established, these patients often needed to be transferred out of Peter Mac and into the neighbouring RMH's Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Dr Richardson, Peter Mac's acute care specialist, says for patients too unwell for standard ward care but stable enough to avoid ICU, the ECU provides the ideal level of care.
“The ECU fills a vital gap between ICU and regular ward care, allowing us to keep cancer treatment on-site without interruption,” Dr Richardson says.
“The benefits for all are clear – including more ICU beds for sick Victorians, fewer cancelled surgeries, smoother care transitions and reduced patient deterioration … even during periods of high ICU demand, such as pandemics or statewide emergencies.”
This six-bed unit - equipped with specialised medical, nursing, and allied health staff - offers advanced monitoring to stabilise patients and prevent complications.
Since it was launched in August 2023, the ECU and its highly skilled team has:
- Cared for over 800 patients within the first 15 months
- Reduced to zero surgical cancellations on the day at Peter Mac due to ICU access
- More than halved ICU demand for Peter Mac surgical patients
- More than halved Medical Emergency Calls for Peter Mac surgical patients
In recognition of this, the ECU is a shortlisted finalist in the 2024 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards (VPHA) in the "Safer Care Victoria Award for Safety Improvement" category.
In all, Peter Mac has nine VPHA shortlisted finalists across six diverse categories including the “Premier’s Large Health Service of the Year” Award.
Read more about all of Peter Mac' VPHA shortlisted finalists here. The winners will be announced on Tuesday,19 November.