The UMCG officially opened the Critical Decision Unit on Monday, May 13, a significant milestone for acute care at the UMCG and in Northern Netherlands. The Critical Decision Unit received its first patients on Tuesday, May 14.
Festive moment
The Critical Decision Unit was officially opened with a festive ceremony. Jan ter Maaten, Head of the Acute Care Department, popped a giant balloon to inaugurate the new unit. Following the ceremony, everyone was invited to take a tour of the Critical Decision Unit before it officially began operations and received its first patients on May 14, 2024.
This is a proud moment for the UMCG and for acute care in Northern Netherlands, as the Critical Decision Unit at UMCG is the first and currently the only one of its kind in the entire country.
Extension of the Emergency Department
The Critical Decision Unit is an extension of the Emergency Department. When a patient needs to stay longer for additional examinations, or if they are not yet well enough to go home, they will now stay in the Critical Decision Unit. This 24-hour unit serves as an intermediary between the Emergency Department and further treatment. Together with the Emergency Department, which opened in 2022, the Critical Decision Unit forms the core of the Acute Care Center.
Digital Innovations The Critical Decision Unit is equipped with 14 single rooms, three of which have adjoining airlocks. The rooms are equipped with digital nameplates displaying patient information. Additionally, there will be no pagers in the Critical Decision Unit, as these will be replaced by care phones.
The Critical Decision Unit Team The team of Critical Decision Unit nurses has been trained at the UMCG since October 2023 and is ready to receive the first patients. This team has trained in various departments within the UMCG, including the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit.
The contractor completed the Critical Decision Unit in February. Since then, there has been intense preparation and furnishing to ensure readiness for the first patients on May 14.
Source: umcgbouwt.nl
Photography: Digna ten Napel
