Paediatric Unit to provide family-centred care
New day surgery and cardiac
catheter lab for Wollongong
Construction is underway to expand
Wollongong Private Hospital to include
a new stand-alone day surgery and
separate cardiac catheter lab.
The multimillion dollar project will see the
development housed on Level 5, within the
current hospital footprint.
The purpose-designed day surgery
development features:
• One operating theatre
• One endoscopy suite
• One cardiac catheter lab
• Additional preoperative bays and improved
waiting areas
• Streamlined layout enabling efficient patient
flow between admission, theatre and recovery
stages
Future growth has also been considered with
the addition of a second catheter lab shell and
third operating theatre shell integrated into the
day surgery design, as well as plans for further
inpatient beds on level 5.
Upon completion, high turn-over day
procedures such as ophthalmology,
gastroenterology, endoscopy, dental, facio-maxillary
and minor orthopaedic surgery will
move from the main operating theatres on
Level 1. General cardiology and interventional
cardiology procedures will be performed from
a dedicated cardiac catheter lab within the new
surgical centre.
With current theatres operating at capacity,
the separation of day and cardiac procedures
from the main theatres also allows Wollongong
Private Hospital to grow and enhance its
services in other areas of high acuity such as
4 The Ramsay Way 2018 | 03
interventional cardiology, vascular surgery,
orthopaedics, upper GI and neurosurgery.
Wollongong Private Hospital CEO, David
Crowe, said the redevelopment was necessary
to meet increasing patient demand and it gave
the hospital a unique opportunity to enhance
patient experience.
“Wollongong Private Hospital has gained fast
momentum since our opening just two and
a half years ago. The new day surgery will
provide yet another appealing proposition to
patients, negating the perceived need to travel
to Sydney for surgery.”
Mr Crowe said, “The redevelopment presents
us a once in a lifetime opportunity to
reengineer our day surgery patient experience
from the ground up. Our goal is to offer a
highly efficient, patient-centred day surgical
centre, achieved through implementation of
an innovative new digital solution. Patient flow
will be streamlined from referral, through to
admission, with little to no wait time for patients
on the day of their surgery.”
Relatives tasked with collecting their loved
ones following surgery will also benefit from
a reduced waiting time – a patient tracking
system will allow relatives to check the
progress of a patient’s surgery and time pick-up
accordingly.
Despite the use of digital technologies, day
surgery patients will notice improved customer
service with the appointment of a day surgery
‘concierge’ who will personally usher patients
through the admission process.
The hospital’s new theatres and catheter lab are
expected to be in operation in early 2019.
DEVELOPMENT NEWS
A new $3.8 million dollar Paediatric Unit
will be built at Mildura Base Hospital
to cater for the hospital’s youngest
patients and their families.
Mildura Base Hospital CEO Julia Morgan said
the project was supported by the Victorian
Government’s Regional Health Infrastructure Fund.
“Paediatric Care is quite different to adult
patient care. Our current ward structure means
our young patients may be located near adults
which is not ideal. A new dedicated Paediatric
ward will not only add additional in-patient
beds, it will allow us to provide a family-centred
model of care in a more supportive
environment for children and their families,”
Ms Morgan said.
The new eight-bed Paediatric Unit will be
developed in the courtyard area adjoining the
Maternity Ward, so that it is co-located with the
six-bed Special Care Nursery.
“We have a fantastic team of nursing staff who
provide an exceptional level of care for our
sick children. The ability to develop for the first
time a dedicated paediatric-neonatal roster will
allow these staff to hone their paediatric skills
even further through increased educational
opportunities,” Ms Morgan said.
“Our goal is to eventually develop a 24-hour
onsite Paediatric Registrar position, which
would meet a higher level of accreditation from
the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child
Health in caring for our youngest patients and
reduce the need to transfer to hospitals in
Melbourne and Adelaide.”
The hospital’s children’s ward has also received
a funding boost from local road construction
firm Fulton Hogan.
The company pledged a charity contribution
on behalf of each staff member who completed
an environmental training program. 13 staff
undertook the course, resulting in $1,000
being raised.
Nurse Unit Manager of Paediatric Services,
Norie Serato, said community contributions were
important for supporting families at the hospital.
“Things like toys, books, and games make
the hospital stay a little easier but they’re not
part of the essential service delivery, so we
simply wouldn’t have these items for the kids
without the generosity of our local people and
organisations.”
Pictured (L-R): Fulton Hogan’s Mildura manager Peter Reid hands over a cheque for $1000 to
MBH Director of Medical Services Kate McConnen, MBH Paediatric Services Nurse Unit Manager
Norie Serato and MBH Acting Director of Nursing Kristjan Hobbs.