At Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, our experienced Critical Care team provides comprehensive, round-the-clock care to individuals with life-threatening health problems.  We care for patients from across the Conemaugh Health System, as well as those who are transferred or life-flighted here.  We’re there for families, too, providing information as soon as it’s available, and emotional and spiritual support whenever it’s needed.

Our Physician Team
Critical Care Services provides coverage to 35 critical care beds. All three of our critical care units provide coverage to medical, surgical and neurological critical care patients. 

Our 14- bed (6 Ashman) ICU specializes in trauma and neurosurgical Care. Our 11-bed (6 Rose) ICU specializes in cardiothoracic surgical care. Our 10-bed (7 Rose) CICU specializes in care of cardiac medical patients. Each bed is fully monitored 24 hours a day. 

Patients receive frequent evaluations and medical interventions from a team of critical care physicians, all of whom are double-board certified in specialties such as critical care medicine, pulmonology, surgical critical care and internal medicine.  These highly skilled intensivists manage all patient care and activities. The team also works closely with cardiovascular and cardiothoracic specialists, as well as emergency medicine physicians and Regional Resource Trauma Center surgeons.

Our Nursing Team
Care is provided by specially trained registered nurses, many of whom have completed rigorous requirements to receive advanced certification as Critical Care Registered Nurses (CCRN).  In fact, since 2005, our CCRN certifications have more than doubled, earning us national recognition by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Our multidisciplinary team includes respiratory therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, wound care specialists, pharmacists, nutritionists, social workers and a caring pastoral care staff that provides ongoing emotional and spiritual support to patients and their families.

Click the following for patient letters:
6 Ashman - ICU
6 Rose - ICU
7 Rose - CICU
7 Rose - Telemetry

Innovations
We offer innovative treatment methods that are usually found only at major academic medical centers in some of the nation’s largest cities. This includes Licox Catheter Monitoring for severe brain injuries; Continuous Renal Replacements, a gentler form of dialysis better suited for critically ill patients; and Continuous EEG Monitoring to evaluate up-to-the-minute brain activity.  We also participate in national clinical studies designed to improve patient outcomes, such as induced hypothermia to reduce heart muscle damage after a heart attack. We have won four Achieving Patient Care Excellence (APEX) Awards through the VHA and have been nationally recognized for our outcomes in the management of patients with respiratory failure and sepsis.

Family and Visitor Information
We know how difficult acute illness can be for family members.  That’s why we want to make sure your questions are answered and that you have the information you need while your loved one is receiving care. While our medical specialists are always available to provide updates, here is some general information and recommendations to help guide you during your loved one’s stay:

• Contact Person(s) - Please designate one or two people to serve as the primary contact person. These individuals can then update other family and friends, freeing our caregivers to focus on patient care.
  
• “Pass-Codes” – Due to federal privacy laws, patient information is only available to authorized people who receive a “pass-code.”  As it is used when asking for patient information by phone, please be careful about sharing it with others.
  
• Update Calls – Please do not call between 6:30 am – 8:00 am and 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm. This is when our nursing staff changes shifts and they are communicating important information about your loved one.  Calls are welcome at any other time.
  
• Visitor's Guide: Intensive & Coronary Care (click for a pdf.)
  Visiting hours are from 10:00 am – 6:30 pm and 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm.
  Visitors are limited to no more than three at a time.
  For safety reasons, children under age 13 are not permitted to visit. If supervised, they are permitted in the waiting room.
  Please don’t visit if you have a cough, fever, runny nose or rash.
  Please do not take food or water into the unit, and refrain from touching any equipment.
  Please do not sit on counters or floors, and always wear shoes and shirts.
  Fresh flowers are not permitted. However, silk flowers or balloons are welcome.
  No cell phones, pagers or MP3 players in units.
  The Visitors Lounge is on the 6th floor between the ICU and CCU and can be reached by calling (814)534-8287. 
  
• Food and Refreshments – CrossRoads Café provides award-winning meals and snacks from 6:30 am - 11:00 pm. It is located on the 3rd Floor of the Clinical Pavilion.  Vending machines are located on the 3rd and 5th floors.
  
• Spiritual Care
  A Chapel is located on the Ground Floor of the Good Samaritan Building. Masses are held Wednesdays and Fridays at noon.
  Weekend Masses are Sundays at 7:30 am.  Communion services are provided Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
  A Meditation Room is located on the 3rd Floor of the Clinical Pavilion.
  Daily recorded devotions and spiritual readings are available by calling (814)534-1998.
  Daily prayer requests can be made by calling (814)534-1999.
  Annointing of the Sick and Communion requests can be made by calling (814)534-9695.
  In-house TV channel 89 broadcasts healing music and reflections.

Contact Us
The Intensive Care Unit and Coronary Care Units are located on the 6th floor of the MMC Clinical Pavilion. For more information, please call ICU at (814)534-9813 and CCU at (814)534-9803.