CoxHealth to expand COVID-19 ICU unit by 33 beds

As the number of COVID-19 cases across the region continues to rise, CoxHealth is expanding its capacity to serve patients who require inpatient care for COVID-19.

In the coming weeks, the health system will add 33 beds to its fifth floor COVID-19 ICU unit at Cox South. Including this expansion, the health system will have added more than 180 beds to its hospitals since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“We have said from the beginning that we would rather build spaces and not need them, then need them and not have them,” says Steve Edwards, president and CEO of CoxHealth. “Our great hope is that we never need this expansion to care for COVID-19 patients, but it will have been worth it to us to have it ready if we do.”

Work on the approximately $1 million project, which will transform remaining shell space on the fifth floor into a medical unit, will begin in the coming days. It will start after construction is complete on another new unit in the hospital, which will potentially also be used initially for COVID-19 patients.

CoxHealth has applied for additional staffing resources through the state, is bringing in traveling health professionals, and is aggressively hiring to help staff the new areas.