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Hamilton Press, February 2005.
NEW TRENDS IN MEDICAL COMPLEX.
A CENTRAL CITY complex planned to introduce the latest in medical trends to Hamilton will be officially opened next week Feb 22. The staged development valued at more than $12 million and based around the existing Anglesea Clinic is being undertaken by Anglesea Medical Properties with stage 1 now completed. The overall development will see the creation of a medical and professional precinct on a 3.5 Ha block bounded by Anglesea , Thackeray and Tristram Sts.
Anglesea Medical Properties Managing Director Alan Vallinga said the first stage of the development began last year with expansion of the clinic to allow for the relocation and extension of key long standing tenant including Urgent Pharmacy and Professional Hearing Services. Additional area and access has been created for the Accident and Urgent Medical Clinic, a co operative run by Hamilton G.P’s.
Also in the extension are new premises for physiotherapy, podiatry, sports medicine, ground floor blood collection, dieticians, radiology, occupational medicine and medical consultants together with an additional café.
The precinct, which will be extensively landscaped, with over 280 car parks provided will include: a gymnasium, appearance medicine and health spa, child care facilities, as well as additional medical and specialist services. A specialized two storey Oral centre is to be completed on the Tristram street side of the complex by May this year.
Mr Vallinga said additional access to the site will be provided from a new entry off Tristram St. “Our aim is to extend the whole campus to include a comprehensive range of Medical and allied professional services” he said.
Anglesea Medical Properties Development manager Paul Williams said work completed so far was the beginning of a complex, which would include specialist surgical suites and some surgical procedure units planned for completion over the next 18 months based on the latest medical treatment trends overseas.
Modern technology and medical advances have resulted in 30% of elective surgery being undertaken in procedural centres in the U.S. By specializing and using the best modern technology we aim to reduce the costs to patients by 30% to 40 %. Southern Cross have just added two large theatres for major procedures and additional long stay beds. A procedure centre would balance the high capital investment required and reduce overall health costs for patients in the region.
“If we can pick up 20% to 30% of private elective surgical market and lower the cost this is clearly the way to go. This approach is fully supported by the health insurers and may also assist the public sector in contracting out elective minor procedures, focussing more on major medical and critical care demand currently under severe stress”.
Medical Director Dr Luk Chin said future mid range surgery will see patients in close 24 hr care before being transferred to nearby Medical Hotels where they can be supported by family members and on call nursing staff. Costs have been reduced by 20% with this approach.
In the U.S this has seen traditional wards being closed and capital redirected to meet increased surgical technology demands. Anglesea Medical properties redeveloped the ground floor of the Medlab site in Knox St in 2000, the medical hotel planned for the upper floors could be completed over the next 18 months.