Expanded ICU strengthens critical care

March 26, 2025

Red Deer Regional Hospital staff stand inside a newly redeveloped Intensive Care Unit (ICU) room, marking the completion of the unit’s expanded critical care space. From left are Carmen Petersen, site director; Blaine Ironside, patient care manager, Emergency Department, Critical Care, CASART and Trauma; Karen Foudy, senior operating officer; Kelly Longard, director of Emergency, Critical Care, Cardiac Sciences & Respiratory; Dr. Adam Hall, facility medical director; and Heather Stangler and Aimee Pennell, ICU managers.

Red Deer Regional Hospital staff stand inside a newly redeveloped Intensive Care Unit (ICU) room, marking the completion of the unit’s expanded critical care space. From left are Carmen Petersen, site director; Blaine Ironside, patient care manager, Emergency Department, Critical Care, CASART and Trauma; Karen Foudy, senior operating officer; Kelly Longard, director of Emergency, Critical Care, Cardiac Sciences & Respiratory; Dr. Adam Hall, facility medical director; and Heather Stangler and Aimee Pennell, ICU managers. Supplied.

Red Deer Regional Hospital opens newly developed space

Story by Melanie Veriotes

RED DEER — Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC) recently celebrated the completion of its redeveloped Intensive Care Unit (ICU) space by opening additional rooms that increase the unit’s capacity and improve its ability to respond to surges in patient demand. The new space is a welcome addition that enhances privacy and supports the hospital’s ongoing efforts to manage pressures across acute care and emergency departments.

Using shelled space within the ICU, the expansion project created three new rooms and fully outfitted five rooms in total. While the ICU continues to operate as a 20-bed unit day to day, this added space allows the team to manage emergency surges without having to double-up patients in existing rooms, an approach previously used during periods of high demand.

“This expansion strengthens our ability to care for the sickest patients right here in Central Alberta, close to their homes and families,” says Dr. Adam Hall, facility medical director, Red Deer Regional Hospital.

“By increasing our surge capacity and adding more fully equipped rooms, we are better prepared to respond to increased demand — and manage the pressures our acute care and emergency departments are experiencing.”

The improved layout ensures ICU patients can remain in individual rooms, even during high‑demand periods, with support for their comfort, privacy and safety.

Karen Foudy, senior operating officer, adds: “The redevelopment of our ICU allows us to provide care in a way that respects privacy, supports safety, and improves the overall patient experience. By no longer needing to double up in these rooms, patients and families have the space and comfort they deserve during critical moments. These changes reflect our ongoing commitment to building a stronger, more responsive hospital for our community.”

The expansion builds on earlier changes made in 2023, when the ICU increased its capacity to 20 beds through a provincial initiative to increase critical care capacity. At that time, the Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) beds were relocated to create a dedicated cardiology/CCU unit, providing improved specialized cardiac care.

Anyone walking through the hospital today will notice that construction is not over yet. The Government of Alberta’s $1.8‑billion expansion of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre is well underway. Stay tuned for more updates as this major project moves forward.