Prince County Hospital ICU reinstated, creating an integrated provincial critical care program

On Tuesday, August 12, the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Prince County Hospital (PCH) was officially restored, re-establishing full critical care capacity in Western Prince Edward Island. This milestone means PEI now has two fully operational ICUs—at PCH and Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH)—ensuring timely, high-acuity care for Islanders across the province.  

The PCH ICU was temporarily downgraded in May 2023 due to staffing shortages, particularly in specialized critical care roles. During this time, PCH continued to provide critical care to patients, while patients requiring higher acuity care were transferred to Charlottetown.  

“This is a moment of deep appreciation for our critical care teams. We are incredibly grateful to the health care professionals at both PCH and QEH for their dedication over the past few years. Their collaboration, resilience, and commitment to patients made it possible to create a fully integrated provincial critical care program.”

— Melanie Fraser, CEO of Health PEI

The decision to reinstate the ICU reflects Health PEI’s confidence that coverage is now safely sustainable for staff and patients. Measures have been put in place to support long-term stability, including strengthened recruitment, improved coordination between hospitals, and ongoing investment in equipment and training. In the last several months, the critical care department at PCH has been ramping up to provide ICU-level care on several occasions, with the support of colleagues at QEH.  

“Because of the hard work of a lot of people, August 12^th looked like any other day,” said Dr. Tyler McDonell, Medical Director at PCH. “And that was always the goal—safe, seamless care delivered here at PCH, supported by a system that works together. We know there’s more work ahead, but there was a real sense of accomplishment. We did this together.”  

“The team from Prince County Hospital is awesome,” said Lindsay Kucera, a Registered Nurse and Clinical Lead at PCH’s ICU. “They’re so passionate about critical care. They are kind. They are compassionate. They are everything you would want your loved one to experience when they come into the hospital. It's a wonderful place to work.”  

 Health PEI marked another milestone last week, as all oncology services returned to PCH.   

“The last month has required flexibility and patience on the part of patients, loved ones, and staff,” added Dr. Johan Viljoen, Health PEI’s Chief Medical Officer. “I’m happy to report no one’s treatment schedule was interrupted during this period, when we moved treatment temporarily due to a staffing shortage. We look forward to this fall when a third oncologist joins the Health PEI team, improving our ability to serve Islanders.” 

Media Contact: 

Stephanie Kelly  
Senior Communications Officer, Health PEI 
stephaniekelly@ihis.org