After seven years of careful research and planning,the brand new purpose-built Medicross Highway Sub-acute and Rehabilitation Hospital was officially opened in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) last night by Dr Richard Friedland, chief executive officer of Netcare.
The new facility is a collaborative effort between the Link Hills Medical Centre and Medicross, a provider of primary healthcare services and a subsidiary of Netcare, a leading South African private healthcare group. The new custom-built hospital forms part of Medicross’ expansion into the provision of sub-acute and rehabilitative care.
According to Dr Richard Darby, director of the Medicross Highway Sub-acute and Rehabilitation Hospital, it is the first purpose-built facility in the KZN region combining sub-acute and rehabilitation services. “During the time that we were working on this project, the specification of rehabilitation hospitals changed and we believe that this is one of the few facilities that is based on the latest specifications. The hospital, which offers high-quality, individualised post-acute care for patients who are recovering from injuries or illness, is also perfectly aligned to the care coordination programmes of major medical schemes.”
The project was initiated by Dr Darby and his partners in the Link Hills Medical Centre, and developer Wayne Barr. “A licence for the building of a sub-acute and rehabilitation facility was obtained as far back as 2010. However, construction work on the 30-bed facility only commenced in 2016 when we found the perfect partner in Medicross and Netcare to help bring the long-anticipated project to fruition,” he adds.
Dr Richard Friedland stated that Netcare is delighted to be involved as the senior shareholder in this venture with partners who have such great vision and Netcare is very confident that the facility will deliver excellent standards of care through the outstanding calibre of the participating multi-disciplinary practitioners who enjoy an exemplary reputation and track record within the community.
“The establishment of such a facility is completely aligned to our vision for Netcare’s Primary Care Division which has, over the last year or two, moved away from managing health care risk and medical aid administration towards focussing solely on delivering patient care of the highest quality at the most appropriate level of care”.
“Medicross Highway Sub-acute and Rehabilitation Hospital has the capacity to care for 30 patients at a time and will provide 24-hour nursing care for individuals who are recovering from illness or surgery, including those who have had orthopaedic procedures such as hip or knee replacements, heart surgery and strokes or other neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, as well as a range of chronic medical conditions.
The large, well-equipped rehabilitation gymnasium forms the central hub of Medicross Highway Sub-acute Rehabilitation Hospital, with two 10-bed wards arranged on either side.
The centre can accommodate 30 patients in spacious rooms and offer patients excellent nursing care and an individualised care plan supported by a multidisciplinary team of rehabilitation experts including doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, dieticians, psychologists, biokineticists and social workers.
“Where required, our professional and experienced team will also provide wound care, renal dialysis treatment, pain management, occupational and speech therapy, as well as physiotherapy and palliative care,” Dr Friedland added.
The facility will provide patients with excellent nursing care and an individualised care plan that is supported by a multi-disciplinary team of rehabilitation experts including doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, dieticians, psychologists, biokineticists and social workers.
A large, well-equipped rehabilitation gymnasium forms the central hub of the facility with two wards arranged on either side. “The entire facility has been specifically designed with a homely feel in mind. Highway offers a warm and comforting environment as our research has indicated that people feel better if they are in a less clinical environment. We have therefore tried to steer away from the clinical, hospital approach,” explains Wayne Barr, a director of Medicross Highway Sub-acute and Rehabilitation Hospital.
“The Medicross Highway facility is conveniently situated near the city and in proximity to local acute care hospitals. General practitioners throughout KwaZulu-Natal can therefore refer patients, who have either been discharged from acute care hospitals or who are in need of nursing care and therapy in a sub-acute facility,” notes Dr Darby.
“Our expanding sub-acute and rehabilitation network is catering to the growing need for appropriate care for patients who may no longer need acute or specialised healthcare but who do require multidisciplinary restorative or rehabilitative care until they are well enough to return home,” concludes Dr Friedland.
Ends
Issued by: Martina Nicholson Associates (MNA) on behalf of Medicross
Contact: Martina Nicholson, Graeme Swinney, Meggan Saville or Pieter Rossouw
Telephone: (011) 469 3016
Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], or [email protected]