In good news for people with a heart (yep, that's all of us), the brand new Victorian Heart Hospital in Clayton has finally opened. Officially launched by the Victorian premier Daniel Andrews and health minister Mary-Anne Thomas on February 19, the 206-bed facility is the first of its kind in Australia.
The Heart Hospital will integrate clinical cardiology services, research and education, and bring together world-leading cardiovascular experts who are focused on delivering excellence, making new discoveries and raising the profile of cardiac care and treatment.
“This hospital is a game-changer, and will truly be the heart of cardiac care and research in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere,” says Professor Stephen Nicholls program director of the Victorian Heart Hospital and director of the Victorian Heart Institute. “Cardiac deaths are the leading cause of death in Australia. The Victorian Heart Hospital has been established to change that.”
With an increased capacity for quality care, the hospital will be able to cater for 28,000 cardiac emergency patient assessments, 10,000 interventional cardiac catheterisation procedures and 2,000 open heart surgeries. It will also significantly improve the overall experience of patients by reducing the length of stay (allowing for better recovery at home), the waiting times for non-urgent procedures and the need to transfer between sites or units.
Alongside these factors, the hospital itself has been specifically designed to create a warm, welcoming and open environment with plenty of natural light and easy access to cafés and landscaped green areas. This less clinical approach has been proven to positively impact clinical outcomes.
The hospital is now welcoming patients, and the first services to open include ambulatory clinics, imaging, pharmacy and pathology in a staged approach to have all clinical facilities operational over the coming weeks. Telehealth services will also be provided, to reduce the need for residents in regional Victoria to travel for specialist appointments.
In other health news: MDMA and magic mushrooms are set to be legalised in Australia.
On ya bike: Melbourne ranked as one of the best cities in the world to explore by bicycle.