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Southeast Lab Services, previously located at 62 Doctors’ Park, is now open at 60 Doctors’ Park, upper level. Office hours are Monday – Friday from 8am – 4:30 pm.

Critical Care

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Critical Care

Southeast Hospital

1701 Lacey Street
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
573.334.4822

The critical care unit at SoutheastHEALTH is a state-of-the-art unit equipped with the latest medical technology and is staffed by highly trained medical professionals who specialize in caring for critically ill patients.

SoutheastHEALTH has two critical care units:

  • A 12-bed cardiothoracic unit (CTU)
  • A 14-bed intensive care unit (ICU)

Our Critical Care Physicians

SoutheastHEALTH's critical care physicians are called intensivists. An intensivist is a board certified physician who provides special care for critically ill patients.

Many intensivist physicians are credentialed at SoutheastHEALTH and will provide virtual support to our bedside ICU staff providing 24/7 care. The intensivists work 12 hour shifts and shift changes are 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (central time).

Delivering Excellence in Patient Care and Outcomes through Innovative Technology

In conjunction with SoutheastHEALTH's on-site intensivists, we have a continuous, collaborative monitoring system with Avera eCARE ICU. This is done using video monitoring and electronic interface within our Cerner Millennium Electronic Health Records System. Avera eCARE ICU may assist in the care of ICU and CTU patients at SoutheastHEALTH.

The program combines predictive analytics, data visualization and advanced reporting capabilities allowing the care team, both locally and remotely, the ability to continually monitor patients' health information to respond to critical changes in health status in the fastest manner possible.

This combination of care and technology is proven to save lives and shorten recovery times. Our care team is better informed, allowing us to make more efficient and effective care decisions, while improving overall patient safety and avoiding unnecessary transfers to tertiary health centers. Check out our local media coverage by KFVS12: SoutheastHEALTH brings new technology for critically ill patients.

How it Works

  • The attending, consulting physicians and hospitalists at the bedside will continue to be the primary physicians for SoutheastHEALTH patients. They see the patients daily, write admission orders and provide the overall plan of care.
  • Avera intensivists serve as a collaborative partner to the bedside physicians. They can respond to emergency situations until the bedside caregiver arrives, follow up on tests when the hospitalists get pulled to other patients and review for and order best-practice items. They can also serve as a peer during high-activity times.
  • Remote providers are able to view real-time patient information such as cardiac monitors, lab results, medications and care notes via electronic medical record interface from facilities across the nation.
  • It elevates the response time, along with the care and investment in the patient of what we can do every single day with them at the bedside and over the monitors, and provides another level of interaction, not only with the patient but also with the family at the bedside.
  • Communication between the care team providers is key to this model. Bedside physicians connect with the Avera eCARE ICU team with new admissions to briefly discuss the plan of care. SoutheastHEALTH's care team will call daily when making rounds (especially with patients in more severe conditions or to discuss a specific plan of care).
  • Dr. Emily Hurst is the eICU Medical Director at Avera and has prepared a short video that explains this service and how we work together for improved patient care and outcomes.

Critical Care Nursing

Nurses in the ICU receive up to 12+ weeks of orientation and have additional training and credentials, such as:

  • Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN)
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ALCS)
  • Basic Cardiac Life Support (BLCS)
  • Cardiac Surgery Certification (CSC)

Because patients are admitted to the ICU at SoutheastHEALTH with a wide range of illnesses and by a variety of physician specialists, the nursing staff is well-rounded and able to care for patients with many different diagnoses.

Interested in being a critical care nurse? Learn more about our Critical Care Academy.