Pequeno Príncipe opens eight new intensive care beds
Implemented with the support of Volkswagen and the Government of the State of Paraná, the structure increases the capacity of ICU vacancies by 12%
On March 18, Pequeno Príncipe Hospital opened eight new beds in intensive care units (ICUs). With the expansion, the institution increased its capacity in ICUs by 12%, now having 76 beds dedicated to high complexity treatment. The investment was made possible thanks to the support of Volkswagen do Brasil, which allocated US$ 960,000 to Pequeno Príncipe through the state government’s incentive program, Paraná Competitivo.
The new facilities will provide care to children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 in clinical, pre-surgical and post-operative treatment in the institution’s cardiology services. Most of these patients have undergone or are being prepared for invasive procedures, such as cardiac catheterizations, transplants and major heart surgeries – most of them in newborn patients.
The new ICU is installed in an area of 200 square meters and has a high-tech infrastructure. The boxes are individualized, and the service islands are exclusive and complete, providing the professional with all the materials necessary for excellent service.
Demand
According to neonatologist Silmara Possas, today the demand for ICU beds at the Hospital is high because there are many patients from outside Curitiba who seek highly complex care at the institution. The existing Cardiology ICU has 18 beds and its occupancy exceeded 93% in 2023. As the cases treated are complex, the average length of stay for each patient is also prolonged, reaching almost nine days. “The expertise of the team and the number of surgeons we have mean that Pequeno Príncipe is highly sought after for carrying out highly complex pediatric cardiac surgeries that receive support from the various specialties offered by the Hospital,” highlights the specialist.
The manager points out that the individualized room model, guaranteed through the resources received, aims to reduce patients’ hospitalization time by at least one day. “A patient’s evolution also depends on the tranquility, stillness, and presence of the parents, who need to be comfortable to support their child’s period of intensive therapy. The clinical treatment is the same, but if I have a mother monitoring her child for 24 hours, the hospital stay will certainly be reduced. These units are capable of providing more comfortable care for the child, their family and the entire care team,” considers the doctor. Maintaining the characteristics of other spaces in Pequeno Príncipe, the playful visual identity also contributes to a more welcoming and humanized environment.
Made up of doctors, nurses and nursing technicians, the highly qualified team in the new sector will have the support of administrative and support employees, in addition to the multiprofessional team with speech therapist, physiotherapist, nutritionist, psychologist, and support from doctors from 47 specialties and areas of pediatrics.
Support
The implementation of the new structure with the innovative characteristics and advantages offered by the new ICU beds would not be possible without Volkswagen’s contribution. The support of the company, which holds a unit in São José dos Pinhais, in the metropolitan region of Curitiba, further strengthens the relationship with Pequeno Príncipe. The partnership, which began in 2009, guaranteed resources through the Tax Incentive Law and direct investment. Currently, the tax incentive is provided by Volkswagen Financial Services, the largest automaker finance company in the country, according to the Central Bank’s ranking.
For the CEO of Pequeno Príncipe Complex, José Álvaro da Silva Carneiro, the inauguration is an example of how the union of efforts of sectors of society can contribute to the cause of pediatric health. “We are grateful to Volkswagen and the State Government, because this can only be made possible by the convergence of these two players. The resource will enable continuity in everything we do, leaving us better prepared for critical moments when, for example, there is a need for intensive care. We are a reference in high complexity not only in the state, but in Brazil. The kids just have to be grateful,” he says.
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