Netcare opens new Cathlab

According to hospital general manager, Linda Bossert, this is a particularly significant development as, up until August this year, catheter-based interventional heart procedures were the only service that the hospital could not provide to its patients.

The new facility, which cost more than R17 million to complete, and saw top interventional cardiologists such as Netcare Sunninghill Hospital's Dr Farrel Hellig consult on its design, forms part of a total upgrade and refurbishment programme. It all started in 2007 with the opening of a state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit (ICU) built at a cost of approximately R18 million. In May 2008 the hospital celebrated another milestone with the opening of a bigger, better emergency department catering to the needs of the more than 2 500 patients making use of its facilities each month.

During the course of last year, Netcare Linksfield Hospital also installed an additional new generator that allows the hospital to run all its services independently should the need arise to do so. With the acquisition of the adjoining Netcare Linkwood Hospital, a much-needed maternity, ophthalmology and dentistry unit is now also on offer to the community.

According to Jacques du Plessis, managing director of Netcare's Hospital Division, the group has invested well over R50 million in recent years on the upgrading and refurbishment of the hospital in order to serve the growing needs of the communities surrounding Netcare Linksfield Hospital. “The changes that have been implemented at the hospital over the past three years were prompted after Netcare received considerable feedback from resident doctors and members of the community. We fully recognise that Netcare Linksfield Hospital has, for a long time now, formed a very important cog in the community that it serves. This hospital also plays a valuable role within the Netcare Group of Hospitals and is of strategic importance to us,” he added. “We therefore asked for input from our physicians at the hospital and many of our patients on how we can improve its facilities and services. Thanks to their suggestions and requests we could prioritise a great number of projects, most of which have now been successfully completed.”

Commenting on the dire need for a Cathlab at Netcare Linksfield Hospital, Linda Bossert said that more than 22 procedures had been completed within the first 14-days after the facility had been opened in mid-August. “Our first patient to be treated by cardiologist, Dr Laurence Disler was Neil Archer of Middelburg, Mpumalanga. I cannot tell you what a special day this was for our patients and resident cardiologists, Dr's David Jankelow, Darryl Smith, Jonathan Salitan and Laurence Disler. They have been working at a steady pace since we opened the Cathlab and there is no sign that it is going to be slowing down at all.”

“In the past we have used the closest Cathlabs which are respectively at Netcare Milpark and Sunninghill Hospitals. This clearly impacted on our patients who were taken by ambulance to the most appropriate facility where the procedure was undertaken. The three or four day stay in the selected hospital was obviously difficult and time consuming for the loved ones of the patient; this is especially true in the case of our elderly patients. From a religious point of view it was also fairly difficult for all concerned,” explains Bossert.

“The on-site Cathlab saves considerable time particularly for our cardiologists. In the case of an emergency, particularly when time is of the essence, the value of having a facility right here at Netcare Linksfield Hospital cannot be emphasised enough. After all, it is so important during that first hour after a heart attack to get the appropriate treatment as quickly as possible.”

Bossert concluded by saying that the community can look forward to more changes and improvements at the hospital. “One of the more immediate projects is the addition of an extra 10-beds at Netcare Linkwood Hospital. Construction on that project is due to commence later this month.”