Smaller ‘unitary’ hospitals
THE Cape Argus reported yesterday that the Western Cape’s biggest hospital is in such a dilapidated state that it will have to be shut down and replaced notwithstanding that R700 million has been spent on maintenance in recent years.
An amount of R10 billion will have to be found to replace the hospital. The Treasury doesn’t have that kind of money.
If we consider that the demand for just emergency orthopaedic surgery at Tygerberg averages 100 cases a day, it demands that a diametrically new approach to hospital building should be considered.
A behemoth with 1 384 beds and 28 specialist services will have many inefficiencies – a huge operating cost and poor financial controls. A better approach would be to decentralise the specialist services and build smaller “unitary” hospitals.
A dedicated orthopaedic hospital will provide faster services because, first of all, it will be fit for purpose in respect of design.
Second, it will have nurses, physiotherapists, trainee doctors, junior doctors, specialists and professors who will constitute a large team with a common interest, shared experience and Henda Peiser: I started my nurses training there in 1973. There was still construction going on then. We had the best training by the best people. It was our happy time. We worked so hard, but enjoyed every minute. My heart is broken today to read this. How could it happen? proven expertise.
Common incidences will thus be quickly dealt with along the line and long queues and interminable waiting periods can be averted. The opportunity for specialisation can at the same time be increased tenfold. Nurses can also be up-skilled.
Such a hospital can accommodate private practitioners who will be required in lieu of facility and equipment access to give a percentage of their time to the hospital to increase the pool of doctors available.
In a similar way, other specialist hospitals can arise to deal with other areas of ill health.
Behemoths like Tygerberg Hospital are going to be difficult to replace at a time when South Africa is close to falling into the pit of a debt trap. Smaller “unitary” hospitals with speedier and more affordable health care will be the best way forward. changing the name of our airport, and SAVE this hospital.