Recap - Dr. Brody Wehman (Bon Secours - Memorial Regional Medical Center, Bon Secours - St. Mary's Hospital), who introduced what may be one of the most compelling care delivery innovations discussed that night: the Universal Bed Model.

At its core, the model challenges a long-standing assumption in hospital care—that patients must move through multiple units as they recover.

Instead, the Universal Bed Model keeps the patient in one room for the entirety of their hospital stay, with the level of care adjusting around them.

For cardiac surgery patients, this means eliminating the traditional progression from ICU to step-down units—removing transitions that, while routine, can introduce delays, inefficiencies, and risk.

Dr. Wehman walked attendees through both the rationale and the results.

Rethinking a System Built on Movement

In traditional care models, patient transfers are often seen as necessary milestones in recovery. But Dr. Wehman challenged that perspective, highlighting several inherent issues:

• Delays in transferring patients out of the ICU due to bed availability

• Increased risk during handoffs between care teams

• Disruptions to patient recovery, including sleep and overall comfort

• Fragmentation of care across multiple units and staff

In contrast, the Universal Bed Model brings the care to the patient—allowing acuity to shift without requiring physical relocation.

Measurable Impact on Outcomes

What made the presentation particularly compelling was not just the concept—but the data behind it.

Early results from implementation showed:

• Reduced ICU and overall length of stay

• Fewer complications, including infections

• Improved response to clinical deterioration (failure-to-rescue)

• Enhanced patient satisfaction, driven by continuity of care

The model also demonstrated operational benefits, including improved efficiency in rounding, reduced time spent on transfers, and better alignment across care teams.

A Better Experience for Patients—and Staff

Beyond the metrics, Dr. Wehman emphasized the human impact.

Patients benefit from:

• A quieter, more stable recovery environment

• Fewer disruptions during critical healing periods

• Stronger relationships with consistent care teams

At the same time, staff experience improvements in workflow and job satisfaction, particularly among nurses who are able to follow patients through their full recovery journey rather than only a portion of it.

Not Without Challenges

Dr. Wehman was equally transparent about the complexity of implementation.

Transitioning to this model requires:

• Significant coordination between clinical and administrative leadership

• Careful redesign of staffing models and nursing ratios

• Cross-training staff to manage varying levels of patient acuity

• Strong buy-in across disciplines

In short, it’s not a quick fix—it’s a structural change.

But one that, based on early results, appears to be worth the effort.

A Model That Sparks a Bigger Question

Perhaps the most important takeaway from the presentation wasn’t just the model itself—but what it represents.

It challenges attendees to rethink:

How many of our current practices exist because they are optimal—and how many exist simply because they are familiar?