Grady expands ICU capacity by 42% after Wellstar closure

Fifty-two new ICU beds have gone live at Grady Memorial Hospital — an expansion meant to support increased demand the hospital has experienced since WellStar Health System’s Atlanta Medical Center closed in October 2022. 

Advertisement

Grady previously received a one-time allocation of $130 million from Georgia’s federal pandemic funds to support its ability to meet a surge in demand as the city’s sole level 1 trauma center. Grady officials previously told Becker’s that increased trauma volumes are the most significant effect Atlanta Medical Center’s closure has had on their hospital. 

Half of the 52 new ICU beds went live in mid-November, with the rest coming online in early December, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reported Dec. 12. Prior to the expansion, Grady had 125 ICU beds. The expansion requires about 130 nurses to staff, Shannon Sale, Grady’s chief strategy officer, told the publication, adding that the hospital has hired staff to meet that need. 

The hospital is also using the state funds to add beds in other areas. It plans to add 90 medical-surgical beds and 24 beds to its rehabilitation services during the first few months of 2024. 

Read more about the fallout after Atlanta Medical Center’s closure here

At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.

Register to Attend Webinar

Beyond the bottleneck: How health systems are improving access, flow and care continuity

Thursday, July 30
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CDT

Presenters: Imamu Tomlinson, MD, MBA, VituityWilliam Morice II, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic LaboratoriesJordan Dale, MD, Houston MethodistAsh Tengshe, City of HopeChris Klay, MHA, MA, PT, FACHE, Hospital Sisters Health System

Advertisement

Next Up in Care Coordination

Advertisement

Comments are closed.