Mayo Clinic in Austin to Shift Intensive Care Beds to Progressive Care Unit

The hospital will transfer ICU-level patients to Rochester and Mankato facilities.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin, Minnesota, is expanding its progressive care unit (PCU) by converting four intensive care unit (ICU) beds into PCU beds. The hospital will also add two additional PCU beds, bringing the total to nine. Patients requiring ICU-level care will be transferred to Mayo Clinic facilities in Rochester or Mankato. The changes are aimed at aligning services with evolving patient needs.

Why it matters

This shift reflects Mayo Clinic's commitment to providing the right level of care in the most appropriate setting. By expanding the PCU and transferring ICU-level patients to larger facilities, the Austin hospital can focus on meeting the growing demand for advanced monitoring and treatment for patients who don't require full ICU care.

The details

Over the next several months, Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin will convert its four ICU beds into PCU beds, which provide a higher level of care than a general hospital unit but not as intensive as an ICU. The hospital will also add two more PCU beds, bringing the total to nine. Patients requiring ICU-level care will be transferred to Mayo Clinic facilities in Rochester or Mankato. The changes are expected to be complete by November and will not result in any job losses.

  • The Austin hospital's PCU unit opened in 2024.
  • The service change will be complete by November 2023.

The players

Mayo Clinic Health System

A regional health care provider that is part of the Mayo Clinic network, operating hospitals and clinics in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

Dr. Karthik Ghosh

Vice president of Mayo Clinic Health System Minnesota, overseeing the changes at the Austin hospital.

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What they’re saying

“Patient needs continue to evolve, and we are committed to ensuring our services align with those needs.”

— Dr. Karthik Ghosh, Vice president of Mayo Clinic Health System Minnesota (postbulletin.com)

What’s next

The changes at the Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin are expected to be completed by November 2023.

The takeaway

This transition reflects Mayo Clinic's focus on providing the most appropriate level of care for patients in the Austin area, with the hospital's expanded progressive care unit complementing the availability of intensive care services at larger facilities in Rochester and Mankato.