Mediclinic George move going smoothly

GEORGE NEWS - The big move of Mediclinic George and Geneva to the new hospital facility is under way and is going smoothly.

All the wards are moving during this week and the full relocation should be almost complete by the middle of April.

Bertie Heckroodt was the first inpatient at the new facility when he was moved on Tuesday 7 April.

According to the hospital manager, Celesté Louw, he was initially admitted through the previous Emergency Centre (EC) where it was quite busy and he was among the first patients to be transferred ahead of the planned relocation of the Emergency Centre later on Tuesday evening.

Heckroodt was admitted to the Medical and Oncology ward. It was a complex transition, but he received continuous care.

"His arrival was the beginning of a new chapter for inpatient services at the new hospital. Our transfers have been seamless so far and the move of the EC went off smoothly," said Louw.

The new EC has an expanded capacity of 16 beds. She said it is a welcome improvement from the previous unit. "It strengthens the hospital's ability to deliver high-quality care to the community."

The area of the double-storey building is 26 000m².

The new day clinic has 20 beds, three theatres and a procedure room and the main hospital 202 beds (187 beds previously in George and Geneva together), 10 operating theatres and two ICUs with 12 beds in total. There are two floors with 40 doctor’s rooms.

Bertie Heckroodt, the first inpatient to be transferred to the new Mediclinic George. From the left are hospital staff members Evelyn Mahlangu (Medical and Oncology) and Vera Colburne (Unit Manager: Medical and Oncology), ER24 medics Riaan Pretorius and Mervyn Klaasen, Bertie's wife Dr Annetiah Heckroodt, and the hospital general manager, Celesté Louw. Photo supplied

Phlebotomist, Tamlyn Saayman (left), and Sr Jo-Anne Fortuin on their way to the new PathCare laboratory in the new Mediclinic hospital. PathCare is proud to be the oldest and largest laboratory group in the Southern Cape, with eight local on-site specialist pathologists, providing a comprehensive diagnostic pathology service locally, dedicated to patient care. Approaching in the background is Sister Debbie Janse van Rensburg. Photo: Alida de Beer