The new Critical Decision Unit at Providence Saint Patrick Hospital in Missoula, Montana, adds 10 new beds, an MRI unit and office space to the hospital. The additional beds mean hospital staff won’t need to evaluate patients in the emergency department, keeping valuable bed-space free for those in need of serious treatment. The CDU allows hospital staff to evaluate their patients’ needs and determine if they should be admitted for long-term care. The new unit is the first phase of a multi-phase 10-year $126 million hospital growth plan.

DCI designed the new CDU with concrete foundations and stem walls in the basement and is framed with concentrically braced steel for the unit’s lateral system. Steel columns are also used to connect the new unit to the existing hospital structure.