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Critical Care

Name: Kootenai Health
Price range: $

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Around-the-clock expertise through serious illness or injury.

When someone is critically ill or injured, things can change quickly. Our Critical Care team is here 24/7, with the intensive monitoring, advanced respiratory support and life-support therapies needed to respond as a patient’s needs change.

Care is led by a board-certified intensivist—a physician specially trained in pulmonary and critical care medicine whose sole focus is critical care. Intensivists oversee medications and treatment plans while bringing in the right specialists across Kootenai Health. That means the teams caring for a patient’s heart, lungs, kidneys, brain or surgical recovery are working together, with one team coordinating the bigger picture.

We’re equipped to care for patients facing severe trauma, heart and lung complications, neurological emergencies, major surgery and other life-threatening conditions. Through it all, our team keeps families informed, answers questions and stays ready to respond as a patient’s needs change.

24/7/365

Critical care experts always on-site

Board-certified intensivists are on-site around the clock, ready to respond to serious illness and injury when every moment matters.

Mechanical Circulatory Support

24/7 advanced life-support capabilities

Continuous access to ECMO, Impella and IABP provides advanced heart and lung support for critically ill patients.

Rapid Response

Led by critical care nurses hospital-wide

Critical Care nurses respond when patients throughout the hospital show signs of deterioration and provide continued monitoring after they leave the ICU.

“Our ICU team provides exceptional, evidence-based care for patients facing the most complex and critical illnesses. Through advanced technology, highly skilled clinicians, and compassionate, patient-centered care, we work together every day to deliver the highest quality outcomes for our patients and their families.”

— Robert Scoggins, MD

Our Services

Conditions

We care for adults with all forms of critical illness, with the exception of specialized burn care. This includes:

Severe respiratory failure
Heart and circulatory shock
Post-cardiac or cardiothoracic surgical recovery
Acute kidney injury requiring continuous dialysis
Severe trauma, including brain and spinal injuries
Life-threatening infections or sepsis
Neurological emergencies requiring intensive monitoring

Advanced Life-Support Care

Our Critical Care team provides advanced, 24/7 care for adults with life-threatening illness or injury. Services include:

ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation)
Impella heart pump support
Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) therapy
Continuous kidney support through Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT)
Management of neurological drains (EVDs) for brain and spinal conditions
Advanced respiratory support, including ventilator management and high-level oxygen therapies
Continuous hemodynamic monitoring and invasive line management

Critical & Post-Surgical Care

Critical Care also provides:

Care for patients recovering from open-heart and complex cardiothoracic surgery
Comprehensive care for complex trauma patients
Complex post-operative management
Care following cardiac arrest

Explore Related Services:

Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation

General Surgery

Neurosurgery

Emergency & Trauma Services

Lung & Asthma

Heart & Lung Surgery

What to Expect

There can be a lot happening around a patient in Critical Care. The monitoring, equipment and number of people involved are all part of providing close, continuous care. Each member of the team has a role, and they work together throughout a patient’s stay. Families are encouraged to ask questions, stay involved and talk with the team about what’s happening and what comes next questions are always welcome, and communication with families is a priority.

When You Arrive

During Your Stay

Visitor Information

When a patient is admitted to the Critical Care Unit, the team prioritizes stabilization, safety, and clear communication with families from the beginning.

Patients can expect:

A thorough assessment by the intensivist who will lead their care
A comprehensive evaluation by the primary critical care nurse
An explanation of the care environment, monitoring equipment and what to expect in the ICU
Information about visitation, safety policies and unit expectations
Orientation for family members so they understand how to support their loved one

Daily Care Team Rounds
Each morning, the care team meets to discuss your condition and plan for the day. This may include the patient’s intensivist, nurse, respiratory therapist, pharmacist and other specialists.

Family Participation
Family members are encouraged to participate in morning rounds. This is a good time to hear directly from the care team, ask questions and understand the plan for the day.

Planning for Discharge
When it’s time to leave the hospital, your care team will provide follow-up instructions based on patient’s condition and transition plan.

Critical Care follows the hospital-wide visitor policy.

Two visitors are allowed at a time
Visitors must be 12 years or older for safety reasons
No live plants are allowed at the bedside due to infection-prevention guidelines.

Families are encouraged to check with staff about quiet hours, overnight guidelines and any updates to visitation policies or expectations.

→ Explore Visitor Guide

Need Help?

Questions About Your Visit?

Talk with your Critical Care team.

MyChart Patient Portal

View test results and medical history anytime.

Need Portal Setup Help?

Check out MyChart Getting Started Guide or ask our nurses or front office to get started.

Meet the Team

Critical Care takes a lot of people working together. Intensivists, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists and specialists bring the medical expertise each patient needs. Social workers, case managers, palliative care and rehabilitation therapists provide added support. Together, they stay connected so patients and families have one team looking at the whole picture.

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