Birmingham hospital wins approval for psychiatric unit

Birmingham-based St. Vincent's East has won emergency approval to open an 80-bed psychiatric unit at the hospital. The approval will have to be ratified by the full State Certificate of Need Review Board. Two other Birmingham hospitals—Hillcrest Hospital and Trinity Medical Center—have opposed the project, saying it's not needed. St. Vincent's East, however, said it was needed before Physicians Medical Center Carraway closed and is even more important now that the large provider of psychiatric services has shut its doors.