Donations Help Build the Emergency Medical Unit (EMU)

Sick or injured people are united by one wish – the quickest access to competent assessment, diagnosis, stabilisation and treatment. Now thanks to a new multi million dollar dedicated Emergency Medical Unit (EMU), part of the redesigned Emergency Care Department at Sydney Adventist Hospital, they will have it.

Planning ahead to meet the challenges of helping more patients with a complex range of medical conditions, the San’s new dedicated Emergency Medical Unit is a key part of the expansion and redesign of the layout of the busy Emergency Care Department. Emergency Care currently treats more than 20,000 patients a year, has 24 beds, and is staffed by over 20 emergency doctors, and dozens of nurses, allied health professionals and administrative staff.

The San’s Emergency Care Department is a critical facility for people on the Upper North Shore supporting the 160,000 yearly admissions, the 500 visiting medical officers and the 2000 staff of what is the largest single campus not for profit private hospital in NSW.

Dr Greg McDonald, Emergency Care Director since its opening 12 years ago, says the additional 9 bed EMU, is the result of a thorough assessment of how different patients have different needs and different ‘journeys of care’ when they arrive at emergency. The redesign speeds up access to triage, medical consultation, diagnosis, treatment and discharge or admission.

“Experience here at the San, and Australia-wide and international research, has taught us that a well designed space that allows us to allocate patients to certain areas based on their condition and their needs, maximises the care we can give, and it maximises the number of patients we can help in the fastest time” said Dr McDonald.

“And when you’re unwell, that’s what important.”

“An addition to our existing 24 emergency care beds, the 9 bed Emergency Medical Unit is a dedicated space where we will care for patients who will be discharged or admitted into the main hospital within a 23 hour period, after initial assessment, tests and treatment. These patients don’t need or want to be where patients with more complex needs are being cared for. Medical and nursing care and efficiency will be maximised.”

“No matter why you attend Emergency Care - chest pain, gastroenteritis, fractures, wounds or infections - you want to know that we will care for you as quickly and as effectively as we can. Having separate dedicated triage, emergency medical unit, resuscitation, trauma area, fast track and aged care observation areas is all about us recognising that we have a diverse population and an increasingly busy Emergency Care department, but that our prime concern is to provide the best care we can for every one of our patients”.

It is two years ago since we started detailed discussion and planning on this and other initiatives, including a new computerised patient medical record system and extra emergency care physicians. Fundraising efforts by the Hospital Foundation are making it a reality.”

"The San’s aim is to constantly make sure we are at the pinnacle of best practice for our patients. We want to see you, assess you, treat you and send you either home or to an inpatient ward, as quickly as we can. Any way people can help the Hospital Foundation assist us is terrific. ”