Acute Care Wing Features Single Patient Rooms
Progress on the new Acute Care Wing is continuing, with the Bermuda Hospitals Board [BHB] noting the benefit that the 90 new single room patient suites will have for the public.
“One of the most impactful changes the new Acute Care Wing will have on the public is that it features single rooms,” said Bermuda Hospitals Board Chairman Jonathan Brewin. “No matter who you are, as long as you require care in the facility, you will have your own room. This supports privacy and confidentiality.”
BHB CEO Venetta Symonds said, “There are 90 patient suites, which include 225 square feet of bedroom space and a full bathroom including shower that occupies an additional 65 square feet. Each room will feature all the necessary medical equipment as well as a patient chair, bedside cabinet, and wardrobe for personal items.”
“A new nurse call system that will make it easier for patients to indicate their specific needs will be accessible from all rooms. The bathroom has special non-slip flooring featuring a toilet and full shower with a fold-down shower seat. Two hand wash basins will be in each suite; one in the bedroom and one in the bathroom.”
“Having a wash hand basin in each room greatly strengthens our infection control efforts,” said BHB Director of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology Michael Ashton.
“Infections are easily spread by touching. Proper hand washing eliminates most of the chances for infection to spread this way. Staff and visitors will have easy access to the basins and will be encouraged to wash their hands before and after their visits with each patient.”
“Having one patient per room also enhances infection control,” said BHB CEO Venetta Symonds, “and it will support our efforts to offer each patient more personalised care. Patients requiring quiet to rest and recuperate will no longer be inconvenienced by another patient in the room or people visiting other patients.”
“Our single suites provide a healing setting for our patients. All rooms have a large window with Bermudaful views. Natural light and great views can be comforting for patients, helping them to heal and recover.”
“The new Acute Care Wing opens to the public this September. If you have any questions about departments and services moving to the new wing please contact Cathy Stovell on 239-1006 or email her at cathy.stovell@bhb.bm.
“The public can support the new Acute Care Wing with a donation to the “Why It Matters” campaign; please visit the website of the Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Trust for more information.
I’d like to contribute to the Why It Matters Campaign but I’ve lost faith in the way the BHB is run with the announcement that the CFO has “retired” and that she was on leave with pay for nearly a year! Something doesn’t sound right there.
I agree. $18 million profit declared by BHB in 2010 and 2011, followed shortly by near bankruptcy. No wonder they investigated. I would like to see the report from the auditor general.
Huh – PLP built a new $400M hospital for the elite?!! How de h*ll did dis happen? Wait til all de Bermudians go down der an is told that de new rooms is NOT for dem!! Oowwwwwwwwww!!
A lot of advantages to a single room, but of course few have insurance that will pay for it!
What’s is alarming, though very nice I’m sure, is that most insurance plans do not cover you for a private Single room. So if admitted under a policy of a semi private room ( which is the majority of policies) you will need to fork out the difference in cost. I guess that’s ok though, because when you walk out via the atrium with all that natural light your large hospital bill will all be worth it.
$$$$$$$
Just put me in a room with six cause I can’t afford no single room. The rich keep getting richer while the poor just die lol
Obviously insurance providers will have to change the terms as there will be no semi private rooms to insure the patients for. ALL the rooms are private now.
Is it possible that these rooms were never built for Bermudians but for medical tourism?
I’m glad somebody still lives in lala land. Nothing the BHB says is totally true. Take it from those of us who have experiential knowledge of this. This whole island is being fashioned for the rich.
There is no alternative. There are only single rooms. BHB can’t say anything otherwise. Bottom line is someone ultimately pays for such luxury. Question is can anyone afford it at this time.
Wrong. There are existing shared rooms. I believe the way it will work is if you’re in the hospital for more than two (or three?) nights then you’ll be transferred to a shared room.
The acute wing only has single rooms according to BHB press release. i think you are referring to the journey down the tunnel of doom to the general hospital if you don’t have the cash. And what happens if you are still ill after 2 or 3 nights? According to your premise, you are wheeled out of the private room regardless. The fancy single rooms will quickly be filled with the frail and elderly patients who have nowhere else to go. Do they get chucked out if they are still sick after 3 nights but have no money?
This concept of an acute wing will fail very quickly.
You have missed the point. KEMH cannot turn anyone away but as it stands, most of us are not covered for a private room on our insurance policy. If this doesn’t change then we will be faced with a massive bill, if we survive the experience. I also agree with bedhead that the concept of the new wing was likely intended for medical tourism. However, where are they going to find overseas patients who are so gullible as to sign up for medical care in Bermuda.
just watch and see. If you don’t have the insurance for a private room, they will push you down the tunnel of doom to the “general” hospital. No healing UV light for you.
Haha. Funny. Light at the end of the tunnel but only if you have the cash!!!
From what I understand, the new wing is for acute care, ie. Major heart issues, ICU care. The regular things, ie. appendix operation, surgery on leg etc will still be done in the old section as usual.
You have this completely wrong. The old hospital has ICU which includes coronary care. The operating rooms are in the new acute wing. Should anyone need intensive or cardiac care either after surgery or at anytime during their stay, they will then need to be transported along the tunnel. This is highly irregular. Particularly as this new wing was a purpose built building. ICU etc should obviously be next to the patients.