Eau Claire’s Luther-Midelfort is welcoming some new additions to its downtown campus.

The system is now home to an expanded critical care unit, a new family area and a healing garden.

Hospital leaders say the $14-million critical care unit will include 12 new beds, bringing the total number to 26. CCU Medical Director, Dr. Daniel Kincaid, says the room are also larger, giving doctors more space to work and making things more comfortable for families.

Another comfort is the Hearts at Home family area, which was made possible by local Ronald McDonald House charities.

Kincaid says the additions will help the Luther-Midelfort system better deal with an increasing number of patients.

"We're a Level 2 Trauma Center, the only one in this part of the state,” Dr. Kincaid said. “We also have the only open heart cardiac surgery program in this part of the state, so we have a lot of patients to accommodate, plus the general intensive care patients, whether it be stroke or heart attack or infection or respiratory failure."

Luther-Midelfort says the enclosed healing garden gives patients and families a soothing place to gather and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of green space.

And, Dr. Kincaid says Luther-Midelfort isn’t done expanding. In fact, he says the system has plans to start building a parking ramp at its downtown facility in the next few months.