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Having visitors while in the hospital is an important aspect of recovery and recuperation for many people, and hospitals each have their own policies for allowing visitors to see patients where appropriate. For many patients, seeing the right visitors can greatly reduce the stress and anxiety of their situation. However, it must always be up to the patient as to whether they want to see visitors. Hospitals must respect patient’s wishes, while visitors must respect hospital policy. Managing Visitors as a Patient When you are a patient in the hospital, it is important that you put your needs and wants first – as long as you aren’t acting against your doctor’s advice. Your hospital stay is about your own personal treatment and recovery. If you feel that having visitors, or having certain visitors, will get in the way of that, it is OK for you to say so. Unwanted Visitors You have the right to refuse to see anyone from outside the hospital who you feel could cause you distress. If this is the case, you should make sure to tell the nurse unit manager of the ward you’re staying on. They will then communicate your wishes to the rest of the nursing staff. If you would prefer not to have any visitors at all, you should inform the relevant people, so they don’t make the journey to see you, only to be turned away when they arrive. If you are faced with a visitor who is refusing to leave, despite your insistence, security staff have the authority to remove them. Don’t be afraid to let staff know if you feel at all threatened or uneasy. Whenever a doctor or nurse needs to speak to you, examine you, or administer treatment, you can ask your visitors to step outside. Visiting a Patient in Hospital For patients, a hospital is supposed to be a place where they can receive treatment and recover from illness or injury. You should always remember this when you are planning your hospital visits to see them. Make sure that you check with the hospital what their patient policy is, as well as ensure that the patient is well enough to receive visitors. You should also remember that hospital schedules are often inflexible, meaning that patients may be out of room for examinations and procedures at inconvenient times. Many hospitals do relax their visitor policies in some circumstances, but you should always remember that they have other priorities. Check ahead on the day you plan to visit and coordinate your visiting hours with other visitors. Many hospitals will have restrictions on the number of visitors a patient can see at one time. This is for the benefit of the patient, so it is important that you adhere to it. In some cases, you might have to wait until other visitors have left, so that the ward doesn’t become overcrowded. When you arrive at the hospital, you should ask the staff in the main administration area to direct you to the correct room. The administration area will usually be by the main entrance. They will also be able to help you with any other enquiries you might have. You should also check with staff at the nursing station or reception to be certain that it is OK for you to visit the patient. Health and Hygiene In many hospitals, visitors are asked to clean their hands when they arrive to limit the spread of infection. Remember that many patients in the hospital will be more susceptible to infection than usual. It is, therefore, very important that you observe any such precautions. Hospitals throughout the State of Victoria have waterless hand-wash stations for visitors to use. However, even with these in place, it is important that anyone who feels unwell or may have been exposed to a bacteria or virus, stay away from the hospital. You should also wash your hands when you leave the hospital, to ensure that you aren’t carrying any infections with you. Visiting Hours Hospital visiting hours will vary from hospital to hospital. In many cases, there will also be different visiting hours for the different wards. Be sure to check with the hospital you are visiting as to what their particular policy is. In most hospital intensive and special care units, including neonatal intensive care, there will likely be restrictions on the visiting hours, such as only allowing immediate family and restricting the amount of time they can spend there. Children’s hospitals usually have more flexible approaches to visiting hours for parents of carers. Lots of hospitals allow visitors from 10 am to 8 pm, although many also have a rest period in the middle of the day. You should also be aware that many hospitals don’t allow visitors during mealtimes. Visiting After Hours As a security measure, many hospitals lock external doors once visiting hours are over. This is important for the protection of patients and personal belongings. In the case of child patients, only parents and carers can stay on the ward after hours. In exceptional circumstances, the nurse unit manager might allow designated visitors to be present on the wards outside of visiting hours. You should check with the nursing staff if this is possible - if its something you think will help. Parking and Transport You should investigate the parking and transport options of the hospital you plan to visit well ahead of time. If you can’t find the information that you need, phone the hospital’s front desk and ask. If you will be driving yourself, try and scout out the route ahead of time. Bringing Gifts Gifts can be a great way of raising a patient’s spirits, and of giving them something to do while they are stuck in the hospital. However, there will be some restrictions, as you would expect. Many hospitals will not allow any pot plants in high-dependency wards or surgical areas. Flowers are usually OK but are often not permitted on intensive care wards. Alcohol is not permitted in hospitals, and many also have restrictions on certain foods. If you plan on bringing flowers for a patient, you should also consider bringing a vase or container for it. Otherwise, if one is not available, the flowers might end up presenting a problem. As always, check ahead with the hospital to find out what their particular policy is. Consider Others There are a number of other things you can do to show consideration for other patients when you are visiting a hospital. •         Make sure that the patient is happy to have you there. •         Make sure that you consider the needs of any other patients who are sharing a room with the patient you are visiting. Try and keep the noise down            as much as you can when in the patient’s room. Lots of hospitals have dedicated family areas for those who need privacy. •         Remember that the role of staff is to attend to patient’s medical needs, not the needs of visitors. •         There may be times when you are visiting a patient and they require some additional privacy. If this is the case, you should be prepared to step out            and come back later. •         If you bring children with you, make sure that you are prepared to supervise them. •         Smoking is not permitted in any hospital in Victoria. •         Be prepared for the condition of the person you are visiting; some visitors are shocked to see their loved ones when they are hospitalised. •         Respect the individual policies of the hospital. •         Remember that patients are often in low spirits, your visit should help to raise them. If you follow these guidelines, your visit should pass without incident.
Visitors in Hospital
Australian citizens automatically have health insurance coverage under Medicare, by virtue of the government's provision and a 2% income tax. This public health coverage does its best to provide universal healthcare for common or regular ailments and complaints. How is Medicare Different from Private Care?   What health insurance plan works for you depends on your regular lifestyle or a specific situation. It's similar to how one would compare HMO and PPO health insurance plans in America; or in India where there is the option between Hospitalization Plans, Hospital Daily Cash Benefit Plans, or Critical Illness Plans, where there are limitations and benefits to each depending on your lifestyle and situation. Let's compare the benefits of Medicare and private care, so you can make an informed judgment. Hospitals Having Medicare coverage immediately ensures that you will be treated and given accommodation in any public hospital for free. Even if you have private coverage, you may still choose to be treated for free as a public patient in a public hospital. However, you may be wait-listed at the public hospital if yours is not an emergency case. On the other hand, if the hospital believes you should be admitted, you may be required to do so. While some may consider this a worthwhile benefit given the lower or waived costs, others may feel that the waiting time lowers the value of the treatment. The benefit of private health insurance, on the other hand, means that you are treated as a “private patient.” (In a public hospital you would still be wait-listed for a non-emergency case.) In a private hospital, you would probably be treated sooner. You can also have more say in whether or not you will be admitted. Doctors As a public patient under Medicare, you are less likely to be able to choose your doctor. The doctors in public hospitals are hospital-appointed. This also means you are not limited by the availability of one doctor. Medicare reimburses 100% of a general practitioner's fee or a bulk bill directly to Medicare. It also reimburses 85% of a specialists fee. Under private health insurance, you would have a better chance of choosing your own doctor whether you go to a public or a private hospital for treatment. Of course, you are also constrained by which doctors fall under the scope of your insurance provider's plan. You may also be limited by the doctor's availability for your case. Private insurance usually reimburses part of a doctor's general practitioner or specialist fee. Tests and Examinations Medicare covers or reimburses most basic tests and exams including x-rays and blood work, and even eye tests. It also covers therapeutic or diagnostic procedures like ultrasounds and MRI scans. For private health insurance, you would probably have to arrange this under “extras” in your existing health insurance plan. Depending on your healthcare provider, you can make sure that similar tests and examinations are at least partially reimbursable. Surgical Procedures Under Medicare, most surgical procedures that are considered “performed by doctors” are covered by general health insurance. As long as you are in a public hospital, this includes accommodation and theatre fees. Depending on your health insurance plan, you may not need to add this coverage, given the general coverage of Medicare. However, including it would help you cover any additional costs with medicines and other needed materials that might be incurred. Dental Services  Under Medicare cover for surgery, some dental surgery fees can be waived in a public hospital. However, for the most part, Medicare does not reimburse or waive fees for most dental examinations, regular or required or not, or for any related treatment. This is where dental cover for private health insurance providers comes in. A plan that includes dental cover would help you maintain dental health through regular examinations, and to anticipate any unexpected dental treatment fees. Therapy Medicare provides practically no cover to therapy-related treatments, like speech therapy, psychological treatments, or chiropractic services. Like glasses, hearing aids, and acupuncture, they are mostly considered corrective and do not meet a basic health-related need. Not very many private health organizations offer coverage for therapy, whether physical or psychological, because those are indefinite and unpredictable, hard to put a premium on. However, under Extras, you may be able to negotiate other corrective services, such as glasses, hearing aids, and maybe certain kinds of therapy. Pharmaceuticals Medicare has a Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) that takes the form of a list of prescription medicines. For any of the medicines on that list, Medicare will pay for most of its cost. On the other hand, if the prescription medicine you need is not on the PBS because it is so specialized, you will have to pay its full cost, even if it tends to be more expensive. Using a specific insurance plan, you can arrange coverage for different pharmaceuticals that are not covered by Medicare. While the range is still not fully predictable, it's a good way to not be taken by surprise should you need specialized medicines.  Comparing Hospital Insurance: Private Cover vs Medicare The truth is, Medicare and private cover go hand in hand to provide you with full health coverage. We cannot be prepared for everything, but at least now we know the basics of how to choose what will work for us. 
Comparing Hospital Insurance: Private Cover vs Medicare
Friday, December 15th, is going to be an exciting day for the public in Bega. After five years, the Community Carers Accommodation South East will finally be able to open stage one of their current project. This is just one stage of three, which will eventually be opened to the public. On December 15th, the public will be able to tour the new accommodation facility, which will include six rooms. This is also the day that the CCASE will hand over the operation to Southern NSW Local Health District. CCASE president, Lynne Koerbin, is very excited about this part of the project. “This is a huge milestone for us and definitely worth celebrating! What started as the seed of an idea from Janet Brandon while she was president of the Rotary Club of Pambula in 2012 has transformed into a community project that has been embraced across south-east NSW and resulted in a fantastic facility being available at our new hospital.” The CCASE began in 2012, when members of many clubs in the area came together for this project. Some of the clubs they came from included Lions, Rotary, CWA and Eden Lioness. They came up with a plan to construct, design, and help fund an accommodation facility for carers. This facility would hold 18 carers and be handed to the health district upon completion. Within the five years the CCASE has raised money to fund the first two phases of their project, leaving them with one more. Each phase is a wing that will consist of 8 rooms, which will also include an en-suite in each one. This project has gained support from the entire community, regardless of income status, job status and many other categories. Many of the local businesses have helped to fund this project as well; such as Bendigo Bank, NSW Ministry of Health, Bega Cheese, and many more. Some of these businesses donated land and some donated money. This community as a whole has come together to create this wonderful accommodation facility. Lynne Koerbin has said, “Both were instrumental in contributing substantial funds that helped guarantee success with an application for a matching government grant, which ended up being the tipping point for being able to get started on construction in 2016” about Bendigo Bank and Bega Cheese. Smaller businesses have also contributed to this project by donating supplies or offering great discounts. Different clubs in the area have also helped with funds, and even individuals have made donations as well. When this facility is handed over to the LHD on Friday, they will begin to start booking people who will need the accommodations. Some people that may need accommodations include people traveling for treatments, family members of patients in the hospital, and people that need to be close to the hospital for procedures. “The need for a carers accommodation facility has really resonated with so many people - many have experienced the need first hand, while others have got behind the project simply because they recognise how important it is for our rural area to have a facility like this available,” Lynne Koerbin said. “This has been a community driven project for the benefit of the community - and its absolutely wonderful to see it come to fruition.” You can stop by the open house between 2 and 5pm and help the LHD and CCASE celebrate this victory. The official opening begins at 11:30am.
Bega Regional Hospital Carers Accommodation Opens
Some good news for the humble town of Miles as the latest edition to the Miles Hospital has just arrived. Located right at heart of the humble town of Miles, Miles Hospital is a crucial lifeline to the well being of the people of Miles. Because the hospital is the only public hospital in town, limited resources and patient accommodation can be a real issue. Fortunately, the new Primary Health Hub has just officially opened. Leaders of the community all proudly introduced the new health hub to the public.This $2.6 million dollar venture was built in the hopes of allowing Miles Hospital to hold more patients and provide better staff accommodations to residents of Miles. The newest addition to Miles Hospital can now hold up to 50 more visitors each week with offices allowing for three onsite doctors at any given time. “It’s great news for the local community and local staff to have these newly built state-of-the-art facilities,” Says Cameron Dick the minister of Health and Ambulance Services. Along with providing on-site clinicians with eight modern units that provide multiple health services and resources, Dick also says the health hub provides a much-needed conference space that can facilitate all kinds of work such as training, education, and meetings. The minister says that he is more than satisfied with the final product and what it can do for the people of Miles. “I commend the team for all the planning efforts put into bringing these important community projects to fruition,” Ms. Trish Leddington-Hill of the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service’s (DDHHS) says that the contributions made by Darling Downs were key to ensuring the project’s success. “We are proud that both projects, worth $2.6 million, were funded by the DDHHS as a result of a budget surplus. Our local staff have already passed on feedback from the community that facilities are making a positive contribution to the health services available locally.” Adding onto the excitement, Acting Director MeeMee Steinberg highlights the attention the hospital will garner from students abroad and local “It has been fully booked from the start. A real benefit is that some of the biggest users of accommodation are students and it’s become a drawcard for the TAFE and universities students considering working out here in the country.” The hub’s assurance of providing good working skills and quality experience will attract more people to the town of Miles says Steinberg. “They know they will be well looked after and that is attracting people to Miles Hospital. It's been a huge plus for the community because we now have a physiotherapist and child health room and large conference room on site,”. In short, everybody who has worked on the project is ecstatic about the results and what the hub could entail for better working, living, and quality of life for the people of Miles and beyond.  “We feel very fortunate that Miles Hospital has been the recipient of these great new facilities,” says Steinberg.
New $2.6 million primary health hub and staff accommodation opened at Miles Hospital
Redevelopment plans devised by the South Australian government are underway to transform the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site into a luxury rooftop tent hotel. The hotel will comprise of a total of 14 canvas tents placed on the old hospital rooftop and helipad. The transformation will begin as soon as SA Health completes the three-day move of patients and staff over to the new hospital site. Once open for business, a stay at the much-anticipated tent hotel will cost $400 a night, Urban Development Minister, Stephen Mulligan, revealed. "It's been extremely successful in the high-rise buildings of the Melbourne CBD and it's something we're bringing to Adelaide", Mr. Mulligan remarked about the venture. "We want people experiencing particularly some of the old beautiful heritage buildings, and also keeping people around that part of the city to continue providing a boost to the East End". However, redevelopment plans for the old hospital site don't just stop with the tent hotel. The Government has already announced that a third of the old hospital site is to be integrated with the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. There will also be a state-of-the-art research institution created, along with new multi-storey apartment buildings. The exact details of the overall redevelopment plan for the old hospital site are to follow at a later date, Mr. Mulligan explained. The government has provided an estimated time frame of four years and a budget of $150 million to demolish some of the buildings at the old hospital site.  
Tent Hotel to Be Opened on Old Royal Adelaide Hospital Rooftop
Having visitors while in the hospital is an important aspect of recovery and recuperation for many people, and hospitals each have their own policies for allowing visitors to see patients where appropriate. For many patients, seeing the right visitors can greatly reduce the stress and anxiety of their situation. However, it must always be up to the patient as to whether they want to see visitors. Hospitals must respect patient’s wishes, while visitors must respect hospital policy. Managing Visitors as a Patient When you are a patient in the hospital, it is important that you put your needs and wants first – as long as you aren’t acting against your doctor’s advice. Your hospital stay is about your own personal treatment and recovery. If you feel that having visitors, or having certain visitors, will get in the way of that, it is OK for you to say so. Unwanted Visitors You have the right to refuse to see anyone from outside the hospital who you feel could cause you distress. If this is the case, you should make sure to tell the nurse unit manager of the ward you’re staying on. They will then communicate your wishes to the rest of the nursing staff. If you would prefer not to have any visitors at all, you should inform the relevant people, so they don’t make the journey to see you, only to be turned away when they arrive. If you are faced with a visitor who is refusing to leave, despite your insistence, security staff have the authority to remove them. Don’t be afraid to let staff know if you feel at all threatened or uneasy. Whenever a doctor or nurse needs to speak to you, examine you, or administer treatment, you can ask your visitors to step outside. Visiting a Patient in Hospital For patients, a hospital is supposed to be a place where they can receive treatment and recover from illness or injury. You should always remember this when you are planning your hospital visits to see them. Make sure that you check with the hospital what their patient policy is, as well as ensure that the patient is well enough to receive visitors. You should also remember that hospital schedules are often inflexible, meaning that patients may be out of room for examinations and procedures at inconvenient times. Many hospitals do relax their visitor policies in some circumstances, but you should always remember that they have other priorities. Check ahead on the day you plan to visit and coordinate your visiting hours with other visitors. Many hospitals will have restrictions on the number of visitors a patient can see at one time. This is for the benefit of the patient, so it is important that you adhere to it. In some cases, you might have to wait until other visitors have left, so that the ward doesn’t become overcrowded. When you arrive at the hospital, you should ask the staff in the main administration area to direct you to the correct room. The administration area will usually be by the main entrance. They will also be able to help you with any other enquiries you might have. You should also check with staff at the nursing station or reception to be certain that it is OK for you to visit the patient. Health and Hygiene In many hospitals, visitors are asked to clean their hands when they arrive to limit the spread of infection. Remember that many patients in the hospital will be more susceptible to infection than usual. It is, therefore, very important that you observe any such precautions. Hospitals throughout the State of Victoria have waterless hand-wash stations for visitors to use. However, even with these in place, it is important that anyone who feels unwell or may have been exposed to a bacteria or virus, stay away from the hospital. You should also wash your hands when you leave the hospital, to ensure that you aren’t carrying any infections with you. Visiting Hours Hospital visiting hours will vary from hospital to hospital. In many cases, there will also be different visiting hours for the different wards. Be sure to check with the hospital you are visiting as to what their particular policy is. In most hospital intensive and special care units, including neonatal intensive care, there will likely be restrictions on the visiting hours, such as only allowing immediate family and restricting the amount of time they can spend there. Children’s hospitals usually have more flexible approaches to visiting hours for parents of carers. Lots of hospitals allow visitors from 10 am to 8 pm, although many also have a rest period in the middle of the day. You should also be aware that many hospitals don’t allow visitors during mealtimes. Visiting After Hours As a security measure, many hospitals lock external doors once visiting hours are over. This is important for the protection of patients and personal belongings. In the case of child patients, only parents and carers can stay on the ward after hours. In exceptional circumstances, the nurse unit manager might allow designated visitors to be present on the wards outside of visiting hours. You should check with the nursing staff if this is possible - if its something you think will help. Parking and Transport You should investigate the parking and transport options of the hospital you plan to visit well ahead of time. If you can’t find the information that you need, phone the hospital’s front desk and ask. If you will be driving yourself, try and scout out the route ahead of time. Bringing Gifts Gifts can be a great way of raising a patient’s spirits, and of giving them something to do while they are stuck in the hospital. However, there will be some restrictions, as you would expect. Many hospitals will not allow any pot plants in high-dependency wards or surgical areas. Flowers are usually OK but are often not permitted on intensive care wards. Alcohol is not permitted in hospitals, and many also have restrictions on certain foods. If you plan on bringing flowers for a patient, you should also consider bringing a vase or container for it. Otherwise, if one is not available, the flowers might end up presenting a problem. As always, check ahead with the hospital to find out what their particular policy is. Consider Others There are a number of other things you can do to show consideration for other patients when you are visiting a hospital. •         Make sure that the patient is happy to have you there. •         Make sure that you consider the needs of any other patients who are sharing a room with the patient you are visiting. Try and keep the noise down            as much as you can when in the patient’s room. Lots of hospitals have dedicated family areas for those who need privacy. •         Remember that the role of staff is to attend to patient’s medical needs, not the needs of visitors. •         There may be times when you are visiting a patient and they require some additional privacy. If this is the case, you should be prepared to step out            and come back later. •         If you bring children with you, make sure that you are prepared to supervise them. •         Smoking is not permitted in any hospital in Victoria. •         Be prepared for the condition of the person you are visiting; some visitors are shocked to see their loved ones when they are hospitalised. •         Respect the individual policies of the hospital. •         Remember that patients are often in low spirits, your visit should help to raise them. If you follow these guidelines, your visit should pass without incident.
Visitors in Hospital
Frenchs Forest now has a brand new hot spot. It is the 70,000m2 Northern Beaches Hospital whose construction began in February 2015 and is finally finished. It is the first 4-star Green Star accredited hospital in New South Wales. After over three years of development and road works, this excellent $600 million facility is open for business. This project is being delivered in partnership with Health Infrastructure and Northern Sydney Local Health District. This high-profile facility location is in the NSW Health Minister’s local electorate. It was a large-scale Greenfield site with no road infrastructure in place that was surrounded by simultaneity road construction on three-quarters of site boundaries, a large high-school and existing roads with 130,000 cars daily. The construction site was limited due to safety risks surrounding school children, traffic and site personnel. This facility has a capacity of 488 beds, including a 61-bed Mental Health unit, a 50 space emergency department, 14 operating theatres, 6 surgical suites, helipad for more natural emergency approach, intensive care, critical care unit, pediatrics and maternity wards, inpatient mental health facilities, radiology, pharmacy, ambulatory care centre, pathology, day surgery and interventional suite. It also includes a teaching and research center, public and private inpatients units and specialist consulting suites. Northern Beaches Hospital site map.   Parking fee is standard for hospitals: after the free first 15 minutes, it costs between $6 and $18. If you are using public transportation, there’s some good news. Many of new routes are now available, so if you are from Seaforth, Narraweena, Belrose, Brookvale or Manly, you can quickly get to the Northern Beaches hospital. For now, there are not many features in that area, but by that time, it’ll be more developed. Especially in a few years when the Forest High School site become the newest town center. If you’re hungry, there’s McDonald's, a sushi place and diner just 20 minutes away, and a hospital cafe. Northern Beaches Hospital precinct bus map.   You don’t have to worry if you don’t have private health insurance. The Northern Beaches Hospital is a Healthscope operated, but Australia's second-largest private hospital operator will also serve public patients with private ones. Healthscope chief executive Gordon Ballantyne at the New Northern Beaches Hospital in French Forest.   The minimum capacity of beds is not defined and public patients will have the majority if it comes to split. We have the NSW government to thank for that, because it has paid $2.14 billion to the private association for a contract that includes $600 million for the construction of Northern Beaches hospital and another $400 million for road reconstruction. The rest will be covering surgeries and treatments for public patients.  As far as patients of Manly Hospital are concerned, every one of them will be transferred to the Northern Beaches hospital. There are currently 110 patients, and all of them will be transported in “military operation”. About 80 patients from Mona Vale hospitals will also be transported to Northern Beaches hospital, along with emergencies and other acute services. Unlike Manly hospital that will be closed, Mona Vale hospital will proceed their work. However, their main focus will become high-level rehabilitation and palliative care center, and a brand new 24-hour Urgent care center will be open for minor illness and injuries. French Forest, showing the sites of the Northern Beaches Hospital, The Forest High School, Forestway Shopping Centre and Warringah Aquatic Centre.   The Northern Beaches Hospital provides you with high level services such as: Allied Health, Anaesthetics (including Pain Management), Birthing & Obstetrics (including Special Care Nursery), Paediatrics, Cardiology & Interventional Cardiology (including Coronary Care), Cardiothoracic Surgery, Vascular Surgery (including Endovascular), Ear, Nose & Throat, Emergency Medicine, Endocrinology, General Medicine, General Surgery, Gastroenterology, General Practice (Medical Centre), Gynaecology, Geriatric Medicine, Haematology, Immunology, Intensive Care, Interventional Neuroradiology, Maxillofacial, Plastic Surgery,  Medical Imaging (including Nuclear Medicine), Mental Health, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Oncology (including Chemotherapy), Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, Outpatients, Pathology, Urology, Renal Medicine (including Dialysis), Respiratory Medicine
Everything you need to know about the new Northern Beaches hospital
Due to the gratitude of the Health and Hospital Infrastructure Grant Program, the Department of Health and Aging has offered to start the construction of 12 housing units inside of the Mater Hospital, Bundaberg.    Executive Officer Ivan Rasmussen said, "these units will not only serve the accommodation needs of family and friends of patients in our hospitals but will also accommodate patients discharged from hospital who need to remain close to the hospital for follow up care as well as patients from out of town areas who are receiving treatment at our hospital." 18 beds overall will be located inside of the buildings as the options offered are four single bed units, a two bedroom unit, and a three bedroom unit. Each building contains two floors. This construction is predicted to be completed at the end of the current year. The Mater believe that these housing units will assist in reducing the nerves and anxiety most family and friends face when dealing with a loved one in the hospital. Since the building is close to the hospital, patients’ friends and families will have an easier experience providing love and support to the patients, hopefully resulting in a quicker healing process.  
Construction of Accommodation Units Under Way
Great news for Australia: the very first Victorian Heart Hospital is now under construction at Monash University Clayton campus. This Australia's pioneer is $543 million worth, and its due date is in 2022. Thanks to the state government, Monash Health and Monash University, the idea was born in 2014. The idea is being realized for cardiac patients of all ages. This will be the first state-of-the-art cardiac facility that will provide holistic and innovative patient-centered care in cardiac disease, as well as research and world-leading education in Australia. It will also be an education center. Monash Health and Monash University has partnered up to provide training options for undergraduate and postgraduate medical, science and nursing students, subspecialty training fellowships for cardiologists and cardiac surgeons and provision of Ph.D. and Masters placement for professionals. Jill Hennessy MP, who is the state’s health minister, met Monash Health president Dipak Sanghvi, his chief executive Andrew Strapp, director of the Victorian Heart Hospital, Professor Steve Nicholls and Monash University vice-chancellor Margaret Gardiner at the beginning of construction. “Modelled on successful specialist heart hospitals across the world including Barts Heart Centre in London and Montreal Heart Institute in Canada, the hospital will bring together the world’s best in cardiovascular care, research and training in a patient-focused, integrated specialist unit,” Monash University emphasized in their statement. For this intensive project, the Victorian Health and Human Service Building Authority hired John Wardle Architects from Melbourne and Conrad Gargett, who designed The Lady Cilento Children’s hospital, Hervey Bay’s St Stephen’s Hospital and Queensland, the first completely digital hospital. Its capacity will be 195 beds, also including ER, laboratories, high qualified surgical experts and of course, telemedicine for local and international patients. It will allow a significant number of surgical operations, lab procedure, emergency calls and consultations per year. More good news is coming from the government. They’ve selected a site in inner west Melbourne for a brand new Footscray Hospital. It’s going to be involved with a 504-bed capacity, and it will replace the hospital in nearby Gordon Street and the due date is after 2025.
Australia Gets its First Heart Hospital
Port Macquarie Base Hospital is getting ready to install the biggest rooftop solar panel set up on any healthcare facility in Australia. The town is known for having one of the most ideal climates in the country, making it a perfect candidate for such an extensive solar system. Located on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Port Macquarie receives many hours of direct sunlight during all four seasons. Thus, it makes sense for healthcare facilities to utilise all of that freely available renewable energy to save money and help the environment. NSW’s Mid North Coast has some of the highest solar uptake levels of any state in Australia, and with residents installing rooftop solar systems at a nation-leading pace, it’s perfectly logical for healthcare providers to do the same. Minimising Grid Dependency and Reducing Hospital Expenditure The Mid North Local Health District will be spearheading the $900,000 project, which will involve the installation of more than 2,000 panels across almost the entire surface of the hospital’s roofing area. In addition, roof space on the nearby Mid North Coast Cancer Centre will be used, bringing the system’s total power-generating potential to almost 610 kilowatts. Financially, that translates to a savings of more than $130,000 in utility bills annually. Extrapolating that over a period of ten years equates to an overall savings of $1.3 million for the decade. Hospital representatives have assured the public that those savings will be directly reinvested into state-of-the-art healthcare services for the Port Macquarie community. Leading the Way for Other Hospitals Port Macquarie Base Hospital is being used as a pilot location to test the feasibility of installing solar panel systems on hospitals across Australia. Officials are confident that it will be far more sustainable and cost-effective than the current approach of full-on grid reliance. Danny Saunders, an environmental sustainability project manager at Mid North Coast Local Health District, stated that the system will serve as a blueprint for other NSW health districts that may be following suit in the next few years. Saunders also proposed that the project is a foundational pilot for the future of meeting medical energy needs in Australia, as he believes that large solar setups will become the norm for healthcare facilities across the country. The district will also be launching a $7 million project to accompany the solar installation with measures that will improve energy conservation, including the installation of LED lights, rainwater harvesting, and window tinting. Other Hospitals Joining the Solar Rush While the Port Macquarie Base Hospital is set to be the largest hospital rooftop solar system in Australia, it is by no means the first. Hospitals in Adelaide, Canberra, and Bankstown are currently making the shift as well. Prior to this project, the largest rooftop solar system on an Australian hospital was a title held by The Friendly Society Private Hospital located in Bundaberg, with a total of 1,200 panels that harvest 545 kilowatts of electricity.
Harnessing Renewable Energy: Australia's Largest Hospital Solar Power System to Be Installed in Port Macquarie