The Sunshine Coast community will have 24/7 access to the region’s first private medical Emergency Centre at Buderim Private Hospital when it opens in August.
Buderim Private Hospital General Manager, Mr Wallis Westbrook, said the much-anticipated service would provide the Sunshine Coast community with greater access and wider choice of emergency healthcare.
“We are a large and growing regional centre and our community deserves a choice of private emergency medical services when in urgent need,” Mr Westbrook said.
Buderim Private Hospital will team up with experienced independent medical specialist emergency group, Care 24/7 to deliver the service. Care 24/7 already provides private medical emergency care to other major hospitals, including Calvary Wakefield Hospital in Adelaide.
In addition to operator Care 24/7, Buderim Private Hospital will also leverage its expertise at providing emergency care at other UnitingCare Queensland hospitals, including The Wesley Hospital and St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital in Brisbane, to launch the new service.
The Emergency Centre’s experienced emergency physicians will provide specialist care for medical emergencies 24 hours seven days a week, including all public holidays.
Care 24/7 Managing Director Dr Sharad Pandit, said he was looking forward to introducing the company’s emergency medicine expertise to the Sunshine Coast.
“We pride ourselves on the fact that every patient we treat is an individual and we tailor our care to meet their specific needs,” Dr Pandit said. “Whether you break your arm playing sport or you are experiencing chest pain, our highly trained specialist Emergency Centre doctors and nurses have the skills required to manage your health emergency.”
Dr Pandit said there would be minimal wait times to see an experienced emergency trained doctor while free on-site parking would be available. Patients will also have direct access to specialist resources including radiology and pathology through the hospital. The Emergency Centre will be further supported by the hospital’s existing 24-hour Intensive and Critical Care Units and Cardiac Catheter Labs.
“Any member of the community will be welcome to present at the Emergency Centre,” Mr Westbrook said.
“No health insurance is needed, however like all private emergency centres, most people will have an out-of-pocket fee regardless of whether or not they have private health insurance.”
Mr Westbrook said for those patients requiring admission to a hospital and further treatment:
- People with private health insurance could be admitted directly to the Buderim Private Hospital and access its leading specialists;
- Patients without private health insurance could choose to either self-fund their hospital stay at the Buderim Private Hospital or be transferred to a public hospital;
- Children with complex medical issues requiring further treatment and admission to hospital will be referred or transferred to the Paediatric Ward at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
Construction of the new $4 million custom-designed facility and procurement of state-of-the-art emergency medicine equipment is currently underway, together with the recruitment of additional staff and skilled emergency medicine doctors. The construction project is being managed by local building company, Evans Built, together with the Maroochydore-based architectural firm, Blackburne Jackson Design.
Buderim Private Hospital has been serving the community since 1980 and is part of UnitingCare Health - one of the largest not-for-profit private hospital groups in Queensland which operates more than 1000 licensed beds across four hospitals.
Pictured: Buderim Private Hospital Director of Clinical Services, Rae Priaulx, and General Manager, Wallis Westbrook, pictured inside what will become the new Emergency Centre.